Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In undulating pasture, on a low NE-SW ridge. A raised circular area (42.2m NE-SW) defined by two earthen banks and intervening fosse. The inner bank (Wth 4.6m; int. H 1m; ext. H 2m) is substantial and evident all round with traces of internal stone kerbing noted in places. There is a gap (Wth 1.4m) in the bank at E. The fosse (Wth 4m) is evident SE-NW. The outer bank (Wth 3.6m; int. H 1.45m; ext. H 1.3m) is incorporated into a townland boundary SE-NW and levelled elsewhere, though a slight rise was noted on the line of bank at N and SE. Immediately outside the outer bank is a sloping terrace (Wth 2m; H 0.5m). The interior is mainly grass-covered with a few blackthorn bushes in the NW quadrant. A portion (18.5m NNE-SSW; 25m WNW-ESE) of the S half of the interior, abutting the inner bank SE-SW, is divided off by a low sod covered bank. Within the SW quadrant of this area is a low roughly oval sod-covered rise (2.7m NE-SW; 5.8m NW-SE; H 0.5m). A slightly raised semicircular area (4.5m N-S; 3.5m E-W) built against the internal face of the bank at NNE, is defined by an earthen bank (Wth 1.5m; int. H 0.15m; ext. H 0.5m). The outer bank of the rath is overgrown with blackthorn bushes which are also encroaching on the fosse and inner bank at W and NW. There is a road immediately to E.

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