Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a small natural rise in gently undulating grassland, overlooked by higher ground on all sides. Ringfort (WM013-079---) 140m to S. A circular shaped area (approx. diam. 22m NE-SW) enclosed by two poorly preserved earthen banks and a shallow intervening fosse. Stone facing is visible in the internal face of the inner bank, and the fosse and outer bank have been levelled from E-SW. There is a possible entrance gap (Wth 1.1m) at WSW. A field fence running NE-SW intersects the perimeter of the monument at E.

See attached profile of monument surveyed and drawn by the ASI.

Monument surveyed in 2015 and described by McGuinness (2015, 72) as following: ‘This monument is very similar to WM013-074---- in both form and dimensions, comprising a broad, steep-sided, flattish topped mound or platform of stony earth (Diam. (flat top) 22.1m N-S x 21.6m E-W) rising from a lower platform (Diam. 33.8m E-W) to create a stepped effect. As with WM013-074----, upper surface of monument is gently domed. The key distinction between the two sites is that there are clear but heavily denuded traces of a cashel wall around edge of upper step, with boulder revetment on its inner face, which rises 0.27m over the interior where highest at ENE, and 1.38m over the lower step where the latter is best preserved at NW. Part of cashel wall has been almost completely removed from disturbed SE edge of upper step. Lower step is best preserved at W and NW, where it is 3.50m in width, but it has been partly removed on SE side where a drainage ditch has been dug running NE-SW. On N side of monument, where external ground is higher than the lower step, it has been cut through for the step, giving the impression of a ‘ditch’, 2.8m across, and outer ‘bank’; the cashel wall rises 1.25m above the ‘ditch’. There appears to be no evidence for an entrance, but this need not be surprising in view of poor state of monument. Monument lies only c. 300m to SE of the unclassified-barrow in Edmondstown (WM013-074----) which it closely resembles. About c. 120m SSE of the present site is a much larger but again fairly similar monument (WM013-080----) named ‘Rathmore’ on OS 6” map; but, with clear traces of a cashel wall around parts of the otherwise flat perimeter of its high central platform or upper ‘step’, and structural foundations in its interior, this very prominently positioned earthwork is more obviously a ringfort. Its lower step has also has clear evidence for a bank at its outer edge, though erosion in places makes it appear more as a step. These three closely set sites are all visible from one another'.

Compiled by: Frank Coyne and Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 23 July 2018

References

McGuinness, D. 2015 The prehistoric burial mounds and related monument of County Westmeath. Part III - Monuments in Northern and Eastern Westmeath (Baronies of Delvin and Fore, and Parts of Baronies of Farbill, Fartullagh, Moygoish, and Moyashel & Magheradernon). Unpublished survey funded by Westmeath County Council in association with Westmeath Archaeological and Historical Society.