Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ringfort - rath
Castledown, County Westmeath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Castledown
- County
- Westmeath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Coordinates
- 53.52239, -7.22792
- SMR number
- WM020-066----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Situated on a prominent rise, in gently undulating pasture, with good views of the surrounding landscape. Depicted on the revised 1913 ed. OS 25-inch map as a suboval-shaped earthwork. Monument described in 1970 as the remains of a much disturbed oval-shaped area (dims. 47m NW-SE; 47m NE-SW) which is almost completely levelled across the NE half. It is enclosed by a steep bank from SE-S-W-N which is almost reduced to a scarp. The perimeter is not defined from N-E-SE where the monument levelled. There are traces of an external fosse from SE-S-W and a modern version from W-N. Elsewhere the fosse is missing where the ground around the base of the bank has been badly defaced by quarrying. The original entrance is not recognisable. The interior has a gentle SW-facing slope. A modern bank and trench run SE-NW across the interior, curving to W. There is a large quarry hole within the W quadrant. Monument is clearly visible today as an oval-shaped earthwork on Digital Globe aerial photography.
Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien
Date of upload: 05 July 2019
Nearby in the register
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Water mill - horizontal-wheeledunder 1 mi
- Castle - unclassifiedunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.