Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

On level elevated ground, in a large open pasture field bordered by forestry plantation to the W, N and NE. A very slightly raised subcircular area (34m NW-SE; c. 36m NE-SW) defined by a slight scarp (H c. 0.6m) that slumps into a shallow external fosse (Wth c. 3m; D 0.3m). The scarp is very poorly defined. The fosse survives as a shallow depression, barely discernible in parts to SW and N-NE. At NNW a small quarry pit (Wth 6m) cuts across the line of the fosse. The interior is crossed on a NW-SE axis by four parallel, clearly defined, linear banks (Wth 3-3.6m, H 0.5m) set c. 3m apart. They occupy most of the available interior space and appear to represent ridge and furrow cultivation, levelled traces of which can also be seen in the surrounding field. Remnants of linear field boundaries and part of a levelled rectilinear field system that postdate the rath, clip the outer edge of the fosse at SE and SW. There is another rath (SL026-044----) visible on the top of the hill to NW. O'Rorke ([1889], vol. 2, 66-7) suggests that a fort, known locally as 'Ardcree-fort' and within a thousand yards of Ardcree bridge, was possibly the site of the 'castle of Rath-Ard-creeve' which was burned by Hugh O'Connor in 1265. It is not certain to which of the three forts (SL026-088----; SL026-089----) in the townland O'Rorke was referring.

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