Moated site

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on N facing slope of rising ground with ringfort (WM024-028----) 125m to W. A report from 1971 records that the monument consisted of ‘a large rectilinear enclosure (int. dims. 47m N-S; 35.5m E-W), with an appreciable slope from the S end to the N end, bounded by the remains of a substantial earth and stone rampart with remains of a narrow fosse at its external foot and remains of a slight counterscarp bank of earth and stone. The inner bank is best preserved in the S end and E side where it rises well above the interior. Elsewhere, it rises but slightly above the interior but drops appreciably to the fosse. The inner bank has remains of both internal and external stone facing. The outer bank is very slight and fragmentary. A portion of the counterscarp has been quarried away on the ENE. A gap (Wth 6m) in the inner bank on the E side may represent the entrance. It is partly blocked by collapsed material. There is no definite trace of a causeway. There is no trace of an outer gap but the outer bank is much disturbed there. In the SW corner is s small square hut foundation (WM024-029001-) represented by a slight earth and stone bank’ (SMR File 20/07/1971)
A second report from 1976 described the monument as following ; ‘The square shaped embankment is enclosed by an earth / stone bank. The bank has a stone facing in places best seen on the E and s sides. The crest is highest on the S and E and in places on the E inner stone facing can be seen. The bank is surrounded by a narrow fosse and a small outer bank which is barely discernible in places. A causewayed entrance feature exist in the centre of the E side. The fosse is deepest in the SE corner. The interior is free of scrub and slopes from S to N where the ridge on which the site is placed falls away. Limestone outcrop visible. Internal partition walls are visible in the NE corner. There is a small stone built square enclosure (a house site) (WM024-029001-) in the extreme SW corner with another possible house site conjoining it to the N. There are traces of a large stone wall running N from this structure. Situated on the N facing slopes with good view of pasture land to N. W and E’ (SMR File 23/04/1976). A later undated report described the monument as a ‘fairly large earthwork almost sub-rectangular in shape. The sides are gently curved & the corners are rounded. The earthwork is bounded by a bank of earth & stones. On the northern side the bank is set on a low counterscarp embankment. In several places the inner & outer faces of the bank have the remains of stone facing. Outside the bank there is a shallow fosse with a low outer bank of earth & stones outside it. There is no definite entrance to the interior. Part of the bank & fosse have been disturbed in the northern corner. In the interior there are a number of low banks. On the SW side & in the western corner there are 5 small enclosures, while in the eastern corner there is a larger enclosure. The significance of these enclosures is not very clear, some may be the remains of houses. The earthwork is on a gentle slope facing north & NE’ (SMR file).

Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien

Date of upload: 10 March 2016