Enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on the top of a steep hill, in pasture, directly overlooking a steep sided valley to S with extensive views in all directions. Part of a complex of three monuments whereby ring barrow (WM018-0085001-) is abutting to E, on the NE shoulder of the hill and mound barrow (WM018-085003-) is at the SW corner, on the SW shoulder of the hill. Not depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map or the revised 1913 ed. OS 25-inch map. Monument described in 1980 as a rectangular-shaped area (approx. dims. 20m E-W; 16m N-S) enclosed by a low earthen bank, which is much worn in places and falls steeply to S. On the E side the bank abuts the ring barrow (WM018-085001-). Mound barrow (WM018-085003-) is located partially in the SW corner. Outline of rectangular-shaped enclosure is clearly visible on Digital Globe aerial photography.

Surveyed in 2012 and described by McGuinness (2012, 39-40) as following: ‘Very well preserved, roughly circular ring-barrow (WM018-085001-) composed of very stony earth, situated on upper E-facing slope of low hill. Monument comprises a central mound surrounded by a flat-bottomed ditch, 2.7-3.2m in width, and a very stony outer bank, 3.5-4m in width from base of ditch to ground level outside. Central mound, which appears to be raised slightly above level of surrounding ground, rises up to 1.5m above base of ditch on E side, being higher on N and E sides than S and W sides. Running E from this mound in a very gently S-curving line for 20m is another low scarp, the ground to S being 0.3m lower than that to N and dropping down quite steeply. E end of this scarp is 7m SW of ring-barrow. These two scarps or low banks are identified as an 'Enclosure' in RMP (WM018-085002-), and although the second scarp does not join onto the ring-barrow, the overall effect is that the flattish summit of this low hill has been defined by a scarp, linking the mound at highest part of hill to the ring-barrow on slope of hill to ENE.

See attached plan of monument surveyed and drawn by the ASI

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by David McGuinness.

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

Date of upload: 05 February 2019

References

McGuinness, D. 2012 The prehistoric burial mounds and related monument of County Westmeath. Part I - Preliminary account of the monuments in the Lough Owel Area (Barony of Corkaree and part of Barony of Moyashel & Magheradernon). Unpublished survey funded by Westmeath County Council in association with Westmeath Archaeological and Historical Society.