Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

In a thicket of hazel and hawthorn scrub, utilising a level terrace on a S-facing slope. An oval area (30.6m NW-SE; 23m NE-SW) enclosed by a collapsed, moss-covered wall of limestone rubble (Wth 3m). In parts at E and SE large slabs and blocks are visible protruding from the rubble, remnants of the basal course of an internal and external stone facing indicating that the wall was originally c. 2m in width. From SE-SW, where the wall coincides with the break of slope at the edge of the terrace, it is reduced to a thin scattering of stone topping a scarp (H 1m) covered with stone tumble. The scarp drops to a level terrace (Wth 3m) from which the ridge slopes down steeply. The interior is level and broken by rock outcrops in places. A N-S field boundary wall (Wth 0.6m) clips the perimeter W-NW. There is a gap (Wth c. 1.5m) at NW, now partially blocked by a field boundary wall. There is a possible hut site (SL040-055002-) in the NW quadrant, flanking the entrance.

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