Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, on top of a drumlin. The rath was described in 1985 (SMR (1989) file) as a roughly pear-shaped area (19m N-S; 33m E-W), tapering towards the E, defined N-SW by a low earthen bank and SW-N by a more substantial bank (Wth 1.25m; int. H 0.3m; ext. H 1m) topped with a hedge and a post and wire fence and covered with overgrowth. A shallow external fosse-like depression was evident SE-SW and a shallow drain was evident outside the bank SW-N. The E portion of the interior was raised to compensate for the hillslope but the interior retained a gentle slope down to E. A scatter of stone was noted inside the S perimeter in an area overgrown with bushes. The bank was quarried into at NNE. The perimeter appeared to turn inwards along the S side, suggesting that the rath was once circular with a subtriangular area added to E side. It is indicated as an embanked circular area on the 1838 OS 6-inch map. On subsequent inspection in 1994 the remains consisted of a raised area (int. diam. 29.5m N-S; 11.2m E-W), enclosed by an earthen bank (Wth 3m; int. H 1.2m; ext. H 1.5m), the interior of which was uneven and sloped down to N. No remains of the fosse was visible.

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