What is recorded here

Fairy fort in Longford West is an oval earthen ringfort, 40m by 30m, with a scarp, fosse and outer bank on an ENE-facing pasture slope above the Dead River. It has no obvious entrance, poor drainage, overgrown interior and a natural fluvial channel along its north side that may have strengthened the defence. The shape still shows in satellite images, while the missing entrance and hidden interior leave the fort holding more of its life back than it gives up.

On a slight ENE-facing slope, in pasture with good views from N-NNE-NE, overlooking the Dead River which lies 45m to E and also forms the townland boundary with Longford East. Depicted on the 1897 ed. OSi 25-inch map as a large oval-shaped earthwork with a well shown 15m to N. Monument surveyed by the ASI in 1999 and described as a raised oval-shaped area (approx. 40m NE-SW; 30m NW-SE) defined by a scarp (Wth 3.1m; H 1.6m) with a fosse (Wth 2.4m; D 1.35m) and an outer bank (overall Wth 3.85m; Wth at top 0.85m; int. H 1.35m; ext. H 0.2m) from NE-E-S-W-WNW. The interior has a slight NE-facing slope, is poorly drained and largely obscured by overgrowth. There is no obvious entrance feature. A naturally formed fluvial channel (approx. Wth 20m; D 2m below interior of monument) runs WSW-ENE along the N side of the enclosure and may have been incorporated as a defensive feature. The natural slope also falls sharply from the site from NE-E-SE. Monument is visible as an oval-shaped tree-planted earthwork on OSi orthophotos taken 2005-2012, on Digital Globe orthophotos taken 2011-2013 and on Google Earth orthoimage taken 18/11/2018. See attached Google Earth orthoimage taken 18/11/2018. Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 18 October 2020

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