Promontory fort - coastal

The National Monuments Service's description

Identified from an aerial survey by Markus Casey who described this possible monument as a narrowing headland (L 55m; Wth 18m) which juts S from Ballydowane Bay E of St John’s Island. A series of three low earthen banks, almost reduced to a slight scarp, and two shallow intervening ditches are visible across the neck of the promontory. A low earthen perimeter fence has almost fallen into the sea. The interior undulated slightly with a single bank running diagonally across the garth hinting at earlier internal divisions or structures. Vertical cliffs surround the promontory and caves beneath the headland have almost undermines the isthmus of the promontory. Sea ricks to the S suggest the headland was once larger. Many of the nearby headlands have been similarly defenced, this being a very degraded example. The promontory is located at the interface between old red sandstone to the W and rhyolite (a green/blue granite) to the E. The area consists of fertile pasture with sheer 150’ high cliffs. (Casey 2001)

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 24 November 2021

References

Casey, M. 2001 The coastal promontory forts of Ireland: interim report for the Heritage Council. Unpublished specialist report, National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.