What is recorded here

Killeeshal Fort in County Carlow was a moated site where a square enclosure with a fosse and bank overlain a larger earthwork complex containing a ringfort and smaller circular enclosure. A sixth or seventh-century terminal and a fourteenth or fifteenth-century pendant surfaced there, suggesting the place remained occupied or remembered across a long stretch of time. The complex has since been levelled, but the buried line of its ditch and the shapes of its enclosures still mark the field as a place where people lived, defended themselves and left behind small bright things.

The following description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Carlow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1993). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 8 July 2011 Revised by: Claire Breen Aerial photographs (CUCAP BGH 36, 37) show complex of earthworks consisting of large enclosure (CW007-042004-) (est max. diam. c. 100m) marked on 1938-9 OS 6-inch map, enclosing at N smaller circular enclosure (CW007-042002-), probably a ringfort (est max. diam. c. 30m) and traces of what may be a much smaller circular enclosure (CW007-042003-) (est max. diam. c 15m) to E of ringfort and between ringfort and bank of large enclosure. At S, large enclosure is overlain by approximately square enclosure (CW007-042001-) with fosse and bank (est max. dims. c 40m N-S x 40m E-W), probably moated site (also shown on 1938-9 OS 6-inch map). Aerial photograph (GB90.BE.07, 13 July 1990) shows cropmarks of a large enclosure (CW007-042005-) defined by a fosse attached to the S and E of the moated site (CW007-042001); also traces of a possible trackway and related field boundaries. Sixth/seventh-century terminal found at complex probably came from ringfort. Fourteenth/fifteenth-century pendant also found (NMI file). Complex has been levelled.

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