Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In flat pasture with good views in all directions with a rectangular enclosure (TS043-018002-) in the field immediately to the N. The ruins of a nearby farmhouse are in corner of field to the E. This building is not marked on any edition of the OS 6-inch maps but may pre-date the 1st (1840) ed. as the outline of the field boundary which respects this building is indicated on this edition. A series of low earthworks and quarry holes between the ringfort and the ruinous building appear to be associated with the latter. This impressive bivallate ringfort consists of a raised circular area (int. diam. N-S 54.4m; E-W 52.5m; overall diam. N-S 96m; E-W 95m) enclosed by an earth and stone bank (top Wth. 2.3m; base Wth 5.5m; int. H 0.5m; ext. H 1.7m), wide flat-bottomed fosse (base Wth 8m-1 10m; top Wth 10m-16m; ext. D 0.5m) and outer bank (base Wth 6m; top Wth 2.6m; ext. H 0.4m) with possible entrance gap (Wth 2m) at E. A field bank runs across the centre of the ringfort from the entrance gap at the E and runs westwards towards a low circular mound or platform (diam. 6m) which may be the remains of a small hut site. This field boundary may be associated with the nearby building to E of the ringfort. The outer bank has been levelled from N to E but elsewhere it is well preserved, with the fosse is at its widest (c. 11m) at N. At WNW the external face of the outer bank has been quarried into, with possible evidence of quarrying of fosse from W to WNW. A gap in the outer bank (Wth 10m) at SW appears to be the result of modern disturbance.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 26 August 2011