Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, on a gentle SE-facing slope. A raised circular area (37m N-S) defined by an earthen bank with an external fosse. The bank (Wth 2.6m; int. H 0.3m; ext. H 1m) is reduced on top to a low internal rim but has a pronounced external scarp. Occasional stones protrude randomly along the top of the bank. A section of the bank along the SW arc is higher and more substantial where it is incorporated into the line of a property fence. The shallow external fosse (Wth 3-3.5m) survives all round except to SW where it is truncated by a field boundary. A section of the fosse at N is infilled with fieldstones. There is a gap (Wth 1m) in the bank at NE with a corresponding causeway-like infilled section of the fosse (Wth 3-3.5m). The interior slopes very gently down to SE. In the centre there is a low sod-covered circular rise (diam. 7.9m NW-SE; 8.6m NE-SW; H 0.35-4m at NW; 0.6m at SE). The remains of NE-SW cultivation ridges cross the interior and are also evident on a NW-SE axis in the surrounding field to NE. There is a souterrain (SL032-073002-) in the NW quadrant.

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