Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Vilanstown

Situated on flat grassland in SE corner of 18th/19th century ornamental woodland plantation associated with Violetstown House located 300m to N. This monument is an example of a ringfort reused as a tree-ring in the 18th/19th century as part of the landscaping of the demesne lands of Violetstown House. The ringfort stood in the SE corner of small square shaped woodland plantation (dims. 95m N-S; 120m E-W) consisting of oak, beech and chestnut. Present remains consist of a well preserved circular-shaped area (diam. 37m E-W) defined by an earth and stone bank with external fosse and traces of an outer bank. The interior has been planted with oak trees. No clear entrance feature visible. A fosse running N-S intersects the SE side of the monument with a second fosse running E-W intersecting the site at S, both of which are boundary ditches associated with the post-1700 woodland plantation. See attached profile of monument surveyed and drawn by the ASI. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 30 August 2018

A fairy fort or earthen ringfort in Vilanstown, likely dating to the early medieval period, was later repurposed as a tree-ring in the 18th or 19th century. Local tradition associates such sites with fairy folk, and they were often avoided due to beliefs in their supernatural inhabitants.