What is recorded here

Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Greatdown is a fairy fort or earthen ringfort in Greatdown, County Westmeath, Ireland. The site sits on the summit of a high prominent hill with an elevation of 112 metres above sea level, surrounded by pasture and boggy hollows to the southwest, west and northwest. A 1970 description records the monument as a roughly circular area measuring 33.50 metres north-northeast to south-southwest and 32 metres west-northwest to east-southeast, enclosed by a steep bank and the remains of an external fosse. The bank is clearly visible from the southwest to the west only, while the external fosse is visible from the west-southwest through west to the north.

Situated on the summit of a high prominent hill (112m OD), in pasture, with boggy hollows to SW, W and NW. Depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as an oval-shaped earthwork. Monument described in 1970 as a roughly circular-shaped area (33.50m NNE-SSW; 32m WNW-ESE) enclosed by a steep bank with the remains of an external fosse. The bank is clearly visible from SW-W only. The fosse is visible from WSW-W-N. There is a large gap (Wth at top 6.3m; basal Wth 3.3m) at ESE. Much of the surface of the interior has been levelled out in relatively modern times. There is a modern depression near the bank at NNE and a small, circular flat-topped mound (diam. 3.7m; H 0.3m) near the upper edge of the bank at S. Monument is visible today as a roughly oval-shaped earthwork on Digital Globe aerial photography. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 05 June 2019

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