Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, on a low rise. A slightly raised oval area (49.7m NNW-SSE; 70.4m ENE-WSW) enclosed by an earthen bank and an external fosse. The bank (Wth 3.7m; int. H 0.8m; ext. H 2m) has an almost vertical external face and is incorporated into a field boundary WSW-WNW. There is a possible entrance (Wth 2m) at NE with a low causeway across the fosse. Gaps occur in the bank at SE, S and SW, ranging in width from 1-2m. A quarry pit (12m N-S; 10m E-W; D 1.2m) abuts the external face of the bank at ENE. The fosse (Wth 3m; D 1m) is evident N-NE; elsewhere the line of the fosse is marked by a slight depression and a dense growth of irises. A slight rise (Wth c. 2.4m) on the external side of the fosse at NE may be remains of an outer bank though there is no further evidence of such. The interior is grass-covered and slopes gently down to S and SE. There is a souterrain (SL025-055002-) in the SW quadrant and a rectangular enclosure, with a slightly sunken interior, in the E half. The latter consists of a rectangular area (18.3m WNW-ESE; 24.5m NNE-SSW) enclosed by an earthen bank (Wth 2.2m; int. H 0.9m; ext. H 0.4m) which is best evident on the N and W sides, low and eroded on the E and S sides with boulders lining the internal face on the N side.

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