Moat of Skirke — Report the wrong picture

What is recorded here

Skirke is a castle built inside an older henge, where a standing stone still marks the centre of the bailey. The flat-topped motte rises above a shallow fosse on high ground, while a broad bank and outer ditch enclose a large oval court open only at the east. To build a defensive home around that much earlier monument is to accept its shape rather than erase it, as if the place had already decided what could be kept safe.

Atop high ground with good views of undulating countryside, church (LA021- 010001-) and graveyard (LA021-010002-) immediately to the N. A flat-topped mound (diam. c. 13m, H 3m-3.5m) surrounded by a wide shallow fosse with a substantial bailey (int. dims. c. 50m N-S, c. 75m E-W) which is defined by a bank (Wth 8-9m, int. H c. 1m, ext. H 2.5m-3m) and external fosse (Wth c. 7m) except at N. Entrance at E. The site appears to have been a henge monument that was converted into a motte and bailey. Standing stone (LA021-021004-) within centre of henge (LA021-021001-) that was reused as a bailey for the adjoining motte. Reference to a mound here (O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, vol. 1, 316). This is a reference to the motte at Skirke. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 17 December 2007

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