What is recorded here

Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Bocks Upper: Bocks Upper holds a circular earthen ringfort on a south-facing slope, probably the Upper Box enclosure marked on McCrea’s Map of County Monaghan in 1793. Its overgrown bank rises higher toward the south and opens at the east, while inside the north a rock-cut passage runs into a small chamber before turning east beneath lintels. The fort may have been a home, a boundary marker or a place of concealment, but its shape still separates ordinary field from hidden depth.

Situated on a S-facing slope. This rath, or its neighbour (MO027-088001-) c. 220m to the SE, is probably the enclosure at Upper Box depicted on McCrea’s Map of County Monaghan (1793). This is a circular overgrown area (diam. 38m NNE-SSW) that slopes down to the S (H 3.1m) defined by an overgrown earthen bank (Wth of base 3m; int. H 0.5m; ext. H 0.5m at N to 2.4m at S) that is incorporated into a field bank with trees NW-NE. There is no visible fosse but the entrance (Wth of base 1m) is at ESE. Inside the perimeter at N is the rock-cut entrance to a Man-made underground passage, which is a largely an unroofed passage running N (L c. 3m) where it widens into a small circular chamber with a cupboard in the wall at NW. From this the passage turns E (L 5.5m; max. Wth 1.5m; max. H 1.7m) and is roofed with lintels. The bank has been removed where it was built over the Man-made underground passage. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Monaghan' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1986). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Michael Moore Date of revision: 31 January 2018

This remains an important historical record, but the official description says the monument is no longer visible or has been destroyed. The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.