Mound in Forthill

In pasture, located on a ridge, with a steep fall of ground on the S side giving good views, particularly extensive to S over lowlying, gently rolling grassland, and to SE over an area of bog. Roughly D-shaped, flat-topped platform or mound (7.3m N-S; 5.4m E-W to pit; H 0.7m) truncated on the straight side to W by a sandpit (7m N-S; 6m E-W; D 1-1.5m). A slightly raised stony rim gives the platform a slightly concave profile. A number of large stones, protruding from the sod, form a rough outer facing or kerb at NNW-N. Merging with the E side of the mound is a low, linear berm-like feature (Wth 1m; H 0.4m), which does not extend beyond the mound, possibly the remnant of a N-S field boundary. The section face of the sandpit reveals that the mound is composed of an upper layer (D 0.15m) of jumbled small-medium stones, beneath which is a layer (D 0.3m) of brown sandy soil with occasional inclusions of small stones, pebbles and charcoal fragments. This overlies orange boulder clay which appears to be natural. There is a rath (MA093-029----) c. 200m to NW and an enclosure (MA093-030----) is c. 200m to SW. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 30 June 2022