What is recorded here

Thirty metres west of the larger ringfort, a single-banked enclosure stood distinct enough for Prim to map it in 1872, yet it vanished completely from later surveys and modern satellite views. That sudden disappearance suggests the field was later leveled or the bank collapsed, erasing a neighbour that once shared the same horizon. The loss reminds us that even mapped places can be swallowed by ordinary farming and time.

In the 19th century a number of the enclosures in Dunbell Big were excavated (Prim 1852-3, 119-27; 1853-5, 397-408). Prim (1872-3, 225) produced a map titled, ‘Map showing position of raths at Dunbel, Co. Kilkenny’ indicating enclosures in Dunbell Big. A multivallate ringfort (KK024-016----) is indicated as ‘E’, with a univallate enclosure, indicated as ‘F’ in the field immediately to the W and c. 30m W of the multivallate ringfort. Prim’s map includes some enclosure which are indicated on the 1st (1840) ed. OS 6-inch map and excludes others, however, the map does appear to be drawn accurately which suggests that there was an upstanding enclosure at this location. This univallate enclosure is not indicated on the 1st (1840) or subsequent (1899-1902) ed. OS 6-inch map, nor is it visible on satellite imagery. Another enclosure (KK024-018----) is indicated on the 1st ed. OS 6-inch map c. 250m to the SW. See attached: KK024-015---- Prim's map of 1872-3, 225 Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 10 November 2021

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