Knocknamonaster

This low hill or knoll (dims. 160m E-W; 140m N-S) north of the Benedictine priory buildings (WM004-035010-) formed part of the monastery precinct and was enclosed by a defensive moat as depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map. The slope of the knoll was scarped near its base to form a platform on the west, north and east sides. Outside this there is a ditch with a counterscarp bank. The platform measures 5.2m wide on average, while the ditch is 4.8m wide at the mouth; the counterscarp bank ranges in height from one to two metres and is four metres wide. There are the remains of a gateway on the north side with a stone built causeway leading northwards from the knoll through the defences. This causeway over the moat is depicted as 'Bridge in ruins' on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map. The bank has a gap on the west side also and another gate may have stood here. The precinct defences probably continued on the east side as far as the thirteenth century south-east gate (WM004-035029-) but they have been ploughed out and are not visible. There are a number of irregular banks on top of the knoll but they do not conform to any pattern and what they represent is unclear (Bradley et. al. 1985, 91). A medieval dovecote (WM004-035016-) is located in the S quadrant of the hill known as 'Knocknamonaster'. See attached plan of Knocknamonaster, surveyed and drawn by the ASI Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 22 November 2013