Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Castle - ringwork
Bracknahevla, County Westmeath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Bracknahevla
- County
- Westmeath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Latest-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Coordinates
- 53.45609, -7.59982
- SMR number
- WM024-155001-
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 gently sloping ground, overlooking low-lying, rough pasture to S and SW. Depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as a circular-shaped earthwork associated with a castle (WM024-155----). This enclosing earthwork or ringwork could be the grass-covered wall footings of a collapsed bawn wall or could be the remains of an earlier enclosure which was refortified when a stone castle was constructed along the W side of the earthwork.
Monument described in 1979 as a circular-shaped area enclosed by a substantial bank of earth and stone. The remains of sod-covered wall footings associated with a stone castle are visible inside the enclosure. Rock outcrop is also visible within the interior. No clear entrance feature visible. The enclosure is surrounded by a complex of earthworks (WM024-155002-). To the S these banks form two trapezoidal-shaped enclosures. It is not clear whether these enclosures are contemporaneous with the ‘Castle’ site or later feature. To the WSW of the ringwork is a small rectangular-shaped house site. The ground between the house site & ringwork is uneven, with rocky outcrops & depressions. A complex of earthworks (WM024-155002-) are visible in the immediate vicinity.
Compiled by Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien.
Date of upload: 28 August 2019
Nearby in the register
- Castle - unclassifiedunder 1 mi
- Field systemunder 1 mi
- House - indeterminate dateunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.