Designed landscape feature

The National Monuments Service's description

Located in the southeast corner of a pasture field, covered in mature broadleaf forest.  Commercial forest plantation to the south and east. This area was recorded on the six-inch Ordnance Survey map (1829-41) as an area fenced off in a pasture field. Overgrown with mature broad-leaf trees. Found as part of an assessment of a nearby forestry licence application. A field inspection was carried out by the writer on the 30th May 2024.  This appeared to be a large mound, oval in shape with dimensions at the bottom of the slope approximately 65m (NW-SE) by 40m (SW-NE). It was heavily overgrown with a number of mature trees growing on top and around it. It stood out against the topography of the surrounding landscape. There also were earthworks, heavily covered in scrub and mature trees to the north and a possible later dugout structure (quarry).  This appeared to be a an area of exposed bedrock, however it was not immediately apparent that it was a quarry as it appeared to have all the characteristics of a wall with a corner return on the southern side. There also appeared to be two distinct internal levels. To the east of this quarried out structure were earthworks, heavily covered in scrub and mature trees. Possible mound that was reused as a designed landscape feature on the estate of Monintown House which in the 19th-century was partially quarried into, creating the U-shaped earthwork depicted on the OSi 25-inch map.

 

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by Johnny Ryan, archaeologist, Forestry Service, DAFM

 

Date of Compilation: 10 November 2025