Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

On a slight natural rise of ground surrounded by low-lying countryside which is poorly drained in places. Nearby monuments include, site of stone castle (WM024-049003-) to NNE, motte and bailey castle (WM024-053----) 230m to ESE, Killare church (WM024-057----) and graveyard (WM024-057002-) 410m to SE, St. Bridget’s holy well (WM024-054002-) and St. Bridget’s Church (WM024-054001-) 150m to S. Post medieval corn mill 350m to ENE and mill pond 140m to SE.
Present remains consist of a circular-shaped enclosure (diam. 41m N-S; 41m E-W) with uneven interior rising slightly towards the centre which is enclosed by a poorly preserved earth and stone bank mainly reduced to a scarp with good evidence of internal stone revetment or facing of bank where large boulders have been utilised. There are no surface remains visible of an external fosse. Entrance gap (Wth 1.8m) at SE which has evidence of stone facing on both sides of entrance. A large L-shaped depression inside the ringfort may be the remains of a quarried out souterrain or may be just the remains of post-medieval quarrying activity. Small stones are visible in the upcast mounds flanking this L-shaped hollow. Surrounding the ringfort are the grass covered remains of a well preserved field system (WM024-049002-) including a complex of slight banks, house foundations etc. To the NE of the ringfort is a grass-covered mound of collapsed mortar masonry which appears to be the remains of a castle (WM029-049003-) that is depicted on the 1656-59 Down Survey map of Killare parish. Adjoining the ringfort on the SW side is an irregularly shaped enclosure or annexe defined by a low earth and stone bank, a second smaller enclosure appears to run off the larger annexe. The ringfort and adjacent enclosures are standing inside a large field system defined by low earth and stone banks which are well defined to the W of the ringfort. Two hut sites are visible incorporated into the bank of the field system in the NE quadrant. There are a number of long stretches of field banks to the N and S of the ringfort which represent the remains of this once extensive field system. To the N and NE of the field system in close proximity to the castle site (WM024-049003-) are the remains of a series of earthworks which appear to be related to the castle site rather than the field system. Bing Maps aerial photograph taken November 2011 shows clearly the ringfort with associated field system and castle site with associated earthworks to N and NE of ringfort.

See attached Bing Maps aerial photograph showing ringfort, field system and castle site with associated earthworks to N and NE of ringfort.

See attached plan of castle (WM029-049003-), ringfort (WM024-049001-) , field system (WM024-049001-) surveyed by the National Monuments Service in 1985.

Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien

Date of upload: 22 July 2014

This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 4/1986).