Moated site

The National Monuments Service's description

The fortress or mota of William Ace, from which the townland name ‘Palace’ could be derived, is mentioned in the description of the boundary of Ross wood in 1231-34 (Orpen 1934, 55; Colfer 1982, 58). There is no motte at Palace but a moated site could have been intended. An oval feature (dims. c. 55m NE-SW; c. 40m NW-SE) is depicted faintly on the 1839 ed. of the OS 6-inch map and described as ‘site of Palace’. It is situated at the bottom of an E-facing slope with the headwaters of a S-N stream c. 140m to the NE. This is a slightly raised grass-covered rectangular area (dims. 23m N-S; 21m E-W) defined by slight traces of moats (Wth 3-5m; D 0.1-0.2m). It is in a field now called ‘Oldtown’. Archaeological testing (18E0161) of about 6.5 ha (c. 15 acres) of the field c. 30m to the S produced no related material (Shanahan 2018; excavation.ie 2018: 242).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1996). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 16 August, 2012
Amended: 26 October 2020

References

Orpen, G.H. 1934 Charters of earl Richard Marshal of the forests of Ross and Taghmon. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 64, 54-63.

Colfer, B. 2002 Arrogant trespass: Anglo-Norman Wexford 1169-1400. Enniscorthy, Duffry Press

Shanahan, S. 2018 Archaeological Impact Assessment. Palace East. Co. Wexford. Licence No. 18E0161. Unpublished report, Shanarc Archaeology