Lickeen Fort

On the steep N-facing slope of a hill in undrained marginal land with coarse pasture and good views to the N but overlooked by higher ground elsewhere. Hachured and named ’Lickeen Fort’ on the 1840 and 1916 OS 6-inch maps. Listed as ‘enclosure’ in the RMP (1996). A circular area (diam. 31m) defined by an earthen bank (int. H 1m; ext. H 1.1m) or scarp and an external fosse. The bank is best preserved at E and S (Wth 6m at base) but has been reduced at W (Wth 2.5m; H 0.5m) and only a scarp (H 0.5m) remains at N. Multiple cattle gaps (Wth 0.5-0.7m) cross the bank. A lowering of the bank (L 8m) at E may be an original entrance. The fosse is flat-bottomed and is best preserved at E and S (Wth 3.9m at base; Wth 7m at top; D 0.6-1.2m) It has been reduced to a scarp at W and N (H 0.25m). The overgrown interior slopes steeply and a stone wall oriented N-S cross the E sector. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Lynda McCormack Date of upload: 25 May 2022

Lickeen Fort, Lickeen East is a ringfort, likely dating to the early medieval period, situated on a hillside with strategic views. It is mentioned in old Ordnance Survey maps and may have been associated with local folklore surrounding fairy dwellings or ancient settlements.