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Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland

Ringfort - rath

Down, County Westmeath, Ireland

Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1915) covering the location of Ringfort - rath, Down, County Westmeath, with a pin at the register's coordinates
Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1915), covering this location. Courtesy of the National Library of Scotland. The pin is ours, placed from the register's coordinates.

The record

Townland
Down
County
Westmeath
Country
Ireland
First-edition OS map
Hachured
Latest-edition OS map
Hachured
Coordinates
53.59903, -7.35445
SMR number
WM012-034----

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

4 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1790 map "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

Historical maps covering this location

  • 1790 · Composite: Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1811 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1869 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

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This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗

The National Monuments Service's description

This monument was completely removed in the course of quarrying between 1995 and 2000 (SMR file). It was sited on the W edge of a natural terrace of the W side of a high hill. An inspection report dated 9 March 1972 recorded it as ‘An approximately circular slightly uneven enclosure with a general slight slope from NE – SW bounded by a steep scarp with slight remains of an earthen bank on its upper edge. The best is best preserved from NNE – NE – ENE and from E to S. Elsewhere it has been almost completely denuded down to the interior. There is no visible trace of a fosse at its foot. An earthen bank contacts the foot of the scarp on the SSW and a scarp-cum-bank contacts it on the N. These are probably later than the rath. There is a large disturbance gap in the bank and scarp on the E. It is uncertain where the original entrance was located.' (SMR file)
A second report in 1973 described the ringfort as situated on the edge of a natural terrace of the W face of a high hill in grass-land. Ringfort (WM012-042----), also known as ‘Rahanduff’ 150m to NE. Remains consist of a sub-circular shaped area (approx. diam. 32m N-S; 30m E-W) enclosed by a slight earthen bank. The bank is best preserved from NNE-ENE and from E-S; elsewhere it is reduced to a scarp. There is a possible entrance gap at NE. The interior slopes from NE-SW.

Compiled by: Paul Walsh

Date of upload: 17 August 2015

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Sites and Monuments Record data: National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Record text is reproduced unchanged. National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland · CC BY 4.0
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