Hillfort

The National Monuments Service's description

National Monument in state guardianship No. 328. Large oval enclosure (max. dims. c. 400m NW-SE; c. 300m NE-SW; int. dims. 380m NW-SE; 270m NE-SW) defined by two ramparts, enclosing the summit of Baltinglass Hill with extensive views to the N, E and S and overlooking 'Rathnagree' hillfort (WI027-010----) c. 500m to the N. The ramparts are up to 16m in width, are best defined at the N and NW, and are largely composed of stone. The average distance between ramparts is 15m. There is no clear indication of an entrance. The interior rises towards the SE corner of the site, and there is a large amount of loose stone and many rock outcrops within the ramparts. At the summit there is a passage tomb (WI027-026003-) surrounded by a massive protective drystone wall (Wth 3m; H 2m) built with stones from the cairn which had covered the passage tomb. There are two possible hut sites in the interior (WI027-026002-, WI027-026004-), and a cairn (WI027-076----) outside the outer rampart on the SW side. (CUCAP, AYP027-030; ASU048) (Price 1934, 34; O'Driscoll 2013)
The hillfort was recently described in the Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland as following; 'Multiple enclosure positioned on highest summit of Tuckmill Hill. Rathcoran is one of nine hillforts comprising the Baltinglass hillfort cluster. The name Rathcoran probably refers to a large prehistoric cairn at its centre (rath of the cairn). This pear-shaped bi-vallate monument has a total site footprint of approximately 10.1ha. The shape is dictated by the topography of the hill, which the enclosing elements largely follow. There are up to sixteen breaks in the enclosing elements, however, all of these are probably modern. GPS, LiDAR and geophysical survey have identified up to fifty hut structures within the interior. A large Neolithic cairn was excavated within the hilfort interior (Walshe 1941). A second cairn abuts the exterior of the outer enclosing elements at the SE. Geophysical survey has also identified strong magnetic anomalies at the crest of the inner bank at the N, indicative of a possible burnt palisade feature. Waddell (1998) and Condit (1998) have both interpreted Rathcoran as an unfinished hillfort, due to the incomplete nature of the enclosing elements and intervening quarry features. Ramparts are most complete at the N. The interior is under heavy gorse and scrub cover. First map depiction in 1842 in first edition Ordnance Survey mapping. Excavation of Neolithic passage tomb within hillfort by Walshe in late 1930's (Walshe 1941). Survey by Condit in 1992 and 1998. Survey by Grogan and Kilfeather (1997, 41). Geophysical survey by O'Driscoll (in prep.) in 2012. LiDAR survey commissioned by department of archaeology University College Cork. GPS survey by O'Driscoll in 2014. The center of the hillfort forms the meeting point of the townland boundaries of Tuckmill Hill, Coolinarrig Upper and Pinnacle. Substantial Neolithic passage tomb at summit of hillfort interior excavated by Walshe in late 1930's (Walshe 1941). A second cairn abuts the exterior of the outer enclosing elements at the S. Two recorded hut structures within interior. Neolithic cairn positioned at highest point within hillfort interior excavated by Walshe (1941). Up to 50 hut structures identified by LiDAR and GPS survey by O'Driscoll in 2014. These comprises circular platforms cut into the natural slope of the hill, some of which are defined by a circular setting of stone. Geophysics (O'Driscoll 2012) has confirmed the presence of some of these hut structures. The enclosing elements are most complete at the N and NW, where the inner example is 16m in width and comprises a mixture of earth and stone. Geophysical survey has identified strong magnetic anomalies at the crest of the bank in this area, indicative of a possible burnt palisade feature. The internal enclosure has an average internal height of 1.7m and average external height of 2.6m. The outer enclosing element has an average internal height of 1.3m and an average external height of 2.1m. Here, the banks are separated by approximately 28m (maximum 35m). There is no evidence of an adjacent ditch. To the east, the gap between the enclosing elements narrow to an average of 12m. Although the banks are slighter, the steeply sloping ground enhances the exterior perception. The inner enclosing element is on average 0.8m in height internally but almost 3m in height externally. Similarly, the outer enclosure is 0.4m in average height internally and 2.1m high externally. To the S, a 185m section of the enclosing elements is characterized by closely set multivallation and very slight banks. Quarry pits and associated spoil are visible in many sections between the enclosing elements. Presumably, the material from these pits was used for constructing the banks. Waddell (1998) and Condit (1998) have both interpreted Rathcoran as an unfinished hillfort, due to the incomplete nature of the enclosing elements and intervening quarry features. There are a number of possible entrances indicated in the second edition Ordnance Survey map at the N, E, SE and SW. Subsequently, O'Driscoll (2014) has identified up to twelve gaps in the inner and outer enclosing elements, although these are likely to be modern. There is no indication of an original entrance, although Waddell (1998) suggests an original break in the banks is located in the eastern section.' (http://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk/records/IR0724.html)

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wicklow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 7 February 2020

References

Condit, T. 1992 Irelands hillfort capital. Archaeology Ireland 6 (3), 16-20.

CUCAP - Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Unit for Landscape Modelling, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge. See:https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com

Price, L. 1934 The ages of stone and bronze in Co. Wicklow, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 42C, 31-64.

Waddell, J. 1998 The Prehistoric Archaeology of Ireland. Galway University Press.

Walshe, P.T. 1941 The excavation of a burial cairn on Baltinglass hill, Co. Wicklow. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 46C, 221-36.

Lock, G. and Ralston, I. 2017 Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland.(Online website at https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk)

Condit, T. 1998 Observations of the Baltinglass hillfort complex. Wicklow: Archaeology and History, 1, 9-25.

O'Driscoll, J. 2012 Unpublished geophysical survey report: Rathcoran, Co. Wicklow. UCC Cork, Dept of Archaeology.

O'Driscoll, J. 2014 Unpublished GPS survey report: Spinans hill 1., Co. Wicklow. UCC Cork, Dept of Archaeology

O'Driscoll, J. 2013 Geophysical survey at Sruhaun hillfort, Co. Wicklow. Unpublished report submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Consent No. 12R0042.