Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, near the base of a SE-facing slope of a ridge; waterlogged pasture is located to SE and forestry to N. A slightly raised circular area (diam. 25m) enclosed by three low earthen banks and intervening fosses. The inner bank (Wth c. 4m; ext. H 1.15m) is the widest though its internal edge is evident only as a slight lip or differential vegetation pattern. There is a possible entrance through the inner, middle and outer banks (Wth 3m, 2m and 2m respectively) at WSW. There is a gap (Wth 1.4m) in the inner bank at N. The middle bank (Wth 2.2m; int. H 0.4m; ext. H 0.3m) is evident all round apart from a short levelled section at SE. The outer bank (Wth 2.6m; int. H 0.7m; ext. H 0.7m) is evident SE-N, possibly incorporated into a field boundary NE-ENE and levelled ENE-SE. The inner fosse (Wth 2.7m) and middle fosse (Wth 2m) are evident all round. The interior slopes gently down to S. There is a souterrain opening (SL025-052002-) in the external face of the inner bank at SSW. There is an arc (SW-NE) of sod-covered stones (L c. 4m; Wth 1.5m; H 0.5m) in the SW quadrant. Immediately to SE, the hillside has been quarried.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005).

Date of upload: 18 January 2008