What is recorded here

No visible fort stands at Ballygastell, but a subrectangular enclosure measured nearly 70m across still lies hidden beneath pasture and limestone. A double-faced wall survives in places, a later field wall covers more of it, and a dividing wall and house site mark the interior. Children were buried nearby, other cashels dot the land, and the whole area belongs to a long field system. The fort is not gone so much as waiting under grass, stone and time.

Near the S end of a large flattish field of pasture and outcropping limestone, overlooked by small hillocks to the S, within an extensive multiperiod field system (CL009-001001-). This subrectangular cashel (int. dims. 69m E-W; 68m N-S) is defined by a double-faced wall (Wth 2.7m; H 0.9m) from NW-NE. From NE-SE the wall is reduced to a low stone spread and a later field wall has been built on top of it from E-SW. From S-NW only the inner wall-face and rubble core (Wth, including slip, 2m; H 0.5m) are generally visible. A modern gap (Wth 2.3m) cuts through the wall at NW. An internal dividing wall (Wth 1.1m; H 0.25m), running NW-SE, is visible in the W half of the interior and there is a house site (CL008-0450222-) in the SE quadrant. A natural scarp (max. H 1m) runs parallel to the S section of the wall. Field walls extend off the wall at NNE, NE, E, SE and SSW, and piles of field clearance are visible in adjoining fields. A children's burial ground (CL008-055001-) lies c. 116m to the SSE. There is another cashel (CL008-054001-) c. 136m to the SSW and another (CL009-001031-) c. 160m to the NE. The following image has been uploaded: CL008-045016-_01.jpg Aerial view from E Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 18 October 2022

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