What is recorded here

Thirty years before the Norman invasion, a narrow strip of land jutted into Dingle Bay, defended by a deep fosse and a thick stone wall. Inside, a guard chamber watched the causeway, two small huts crowded the edge, and a hidden passage disappeared beneath the grass. The sea approached from every side, yet the fort faced the land, as if expecting attackers to come by rope, bridge or treachery rather than open battle.

This small level headland, measuring 55m in length x an average of only 9m in width, projects SW into Dingle Bay immediately S of Minard Head. The landward end is defended by a 16m long fosse and an inner wall. The fosse is 2.75m deep and varies from 4 to 8m in width at base. It rises 3m to the crest of the wall which has an internal height of .5m and is c. 2.4m wide. A low central causeway, .75m high and 2m wide, crosses the fosse and gives access to the interior through a 1.2m wide gap in the wall. On the SE side of this latter is what appears to be a guard-chamber contained within the thickness of the wall. It survives as a rectangular depression 2.75 x 1.5m x .5m deep. A 2nd hut-site abuts the wall further to SE. This is defined by a low grass-covered wall less than .5m high. It measures 2.8 x 1.7m internally and is open to SE. A possible 3rd chamber adjoins its SW side. In the centre of the interior, about 24m from the defences, is a now inaccessible Man-made underground passage. Portions of a drystone-walled passage can be viewed through 2 small apertures. It is .9m wide and is infilled to within .4m or less of its roof. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 277. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 4 August 2013

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.