Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Castle - motte and bailey
Banagher, County Westmeath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Banagher
- County
- Westmeath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Latest-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Coordinates
- 53.49921, -7.19134
- SMR number
- WM027-012----
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 rise (359ft/109m OD), in pasture, with good views in all directions. Annotated ‘Rathmore Fort’ on the 1837 OS Fair Plan map. Monument described as a raised oval-shaped flat-topped mound (approx. overall dims. 30m N-S; 21m E-W) defined by a scarp. The steep scarp (H 1.5-2.5m) is encircled by a narrow platform or ledge at the base of the mound on all sides except the N, where it is steeper. The top of the mound (dims. at top 21m N-S; 13.3m E-W) is wide and flat with a gentle S-facing slope. No structural features are visible. Visible on Digital Globe aerial photography a substantial oval-shaped earthwork which appears to be on a natural terrace. Adjoining to E of motte (WM027-012----) are the remains of a crescent-shaped enclosure (dims. 32.5m N-S; 25.2m E-W) defined by a low earthen bank NW-N-E-S-SW. This could be the smaller rath referred to by Adams (1960) which was beside ‘the imposing rath known as Rathmore’. Visible on Digital Globe aerial photography as a faint trace of a crescent-shaped earthwork. An old road (WM027-012001-) located c. 15m to N.
See attached profile of monument surveyed and drawn by the ASI.
Compiled by Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien.
Date of upload: 04 November 2019
Nearby in the register
- Road - hollow-wayunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Souterrainunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.