Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Rathwire Upper

Situated on the E slope of a rise, in undulating pasture, with good views in all directions. Monument described in 1970-7 as a circular-shaped area (dims. 29m N-S; 27m E-W) enclosed by an earthen bank (overall Wth 4.7m; Wth at top 1.1m; int. H 0.6m; ext. H 1m) that has been incorporated into a field boundary from NW-N-ESE and has gaps at E, SSE, SW and NW. There is no definite trace of an outer fosse although there is a slight depression from S-SSW. A modern trench has been dug outside the bank from SW-NW. The original entrance is not visible. The interior has a gentle E-facing slope and an earth and stone bank (L 9.4m; overall Wth 1.4m; Wth at top 0.4m; H 0.35m) runs E-W across the E-sector. Monument is visible as a roughly oval-shaped earthwork on Digital Globe aerial photography. Compiled by Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien. Date of upload: 08 July 2019