Earthwork in Hanstown, County Westmeath

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What is recorded here

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Situated on a steep-sided natural hillock, on reclaimed undulating grassland with good views in all directions. Stream located 60m to S. Possible ringfort (WM025-064----) located 235m to N; concentric enclosure (WM025-065----) 345m to NE and large ringfort (WM025-063----) 460m to W. The sides of the base and top of the natural hillock have been scarped to form an oval-shaped flat-topped mound or platform (diam. 26m E-W; 16m N-S) defined by a scarp with no evidence of an enclosing bank defining the edge of the scarped hillock. At the base of the hillock are the remains of a berm which runs around the base of the hillock giving the mound a stepped profile. No entrance feature visible. The classification of this monument is problematical. It was classified as a ringfort in 1971 (SMR File) but the lack of an enclosing feature and no visible sign of an entrance gap along with its mound like appearance would argue against such a classification. The earthwork has the appearance of a burial mound and the berm running around the base of the hillock is similar to a stepped-barrow. Its location on wet reclaimed grassland utilising a natural hillock would support this burial mound classification. Alternatively the mound could be the remains of a type of ringfort often described as a raised rath or could be the remains of a low Anglo-Norman motte castle.

From the National Monuments Service (Archaeological Survey of Ireland) record WM025-066

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Photo credits

Maker not stated on source page, letsgowiththechildren.co.uk
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
Maker not stated on source page, www.bwallpaperhd.com
Photographer not named in article, www.westmeathexaminer.ie
Maker not stated on source page, fi.pinterest.com
Maker not stated on source page, en.wikipedia.org

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