Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a prominent oval-shaped hill, in pasture, with extensive views in all directions. Depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as a broad, roughly oval-shaped earthwork. Castle (WM018-110----) and house site (WM018-109----) lie c. 115m to S and SE, respectively. Ringfort (WM018-072----) 160m to NNE. Circular-shaped earthwork depicted on an estate map of Sonna Demesne (NLI, MS 21 F. 48 (018) ).
Monument described in 1980 as an oval-shaped area (approx. dims. 34.5 N-S; 17.5m E-W) enclosed by an earth and stone bank, an intervening fosse and an outer bank. The inner bank of earth and stone is very poorly preserved and can be traced only from NNW-N and at S. There is a gap (Wth at top 5.8m; basal Wth 3m) in the bank and a slight causeway (Wth at top 3.5m; basal Wth 8m; H 1.1m) at ESE. This is defined by some stones on the N side which may be the remains of a revetment. The fosse is best preserved from NW-N-NNE and from SSE-S-SSW. The fosse can be traced as a much broader and shallower feature from W-NW just inside the field fence which runs NW-SE along the line of the outer bank. The outer bank of earth and stone is fairly substantial and survives from NW-N-NNE and from SSE-S-SSW. There is a narrow sloping berm-like feature at the foot of the outer bank from NNE-E-SE, beyond which is the natural slope. There is a small depression in the side of the hill outside the outer bank from NNW-N. The interior rises irregularly from the perimeter to the centre at E and W. The central area is occupied by a large rectangular house site (WM018-108001-). The SW corner has been disturbed in antiquity by quarrying. Monument clearly visible today as an oval-shaped tree-lined earthwork on Digital Globe aerial photography. The defensive hilltop location may suggest that this could be the remains of a defensive Anglo-Norman ringwork rather than that of a ringfort.

See sketch plan of monument in SMR file which has been drawn by the ASI.

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

Date of upload: 08 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.