Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated in rough, level pasture (OD 112m/370ft). Depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map and on the revised 1913 ed. OS 25-inch map as a circular-shaped earthwork which is annotated 'Kilpatrick Fort'. Monument is visible as a well preserved ringfort on aerial photograph taken c. 1973 (CUCAP AYR011). Circular-shaped earthwork depicted on an estate map of Sonna Demesne (NLI, MS 21 F. 48 (018) ).
Monument described in 1983 as a circular-shaped trivallate ringfort (diam. 31m) enclosed by an inner bank, an intervening fosse, an intervening bank and traces of a possible outer bank. The inner bank (int. H 0.3m) of earth and stone is a substantial structure and has internal stone facing. There is a fall of c. 2-3m externally to the intervening fosse (approx. Wth 2m) which has been poached and eroded by livestock in places. The intervening bank (int. H 0.5m) of earth and stone is also eroded in places. There are traces of a possible outer bank at WNW, which appear to continue in the field fence at W. A house site (WM018-063001-) is located within the interior. Monument is visible today as a partially tree-lined ringfort on Digital Globe aerial photography.

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

Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien

Date of upload: 04 February 2019

References

NLI, MS 21 F. 48 (018) – National Library of Ireland, A map of lands at Sonna demense, Balroe, Cartron, Kildallan, Kilpatrick, Gaddrystown, Balleagney and Ballysallagh [Tuite] in the barony of Moygoish and County of Westmeath. Names of tenants and acreage of holdings shown. Longfield Map Collection, Dublin.

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