Promontory fort — inland in Castlewidenham

A triangular promontory located on the west side of a bend in the river Awbeg. The promontory is defined by a steep-sided wooded cliff, rising above the flood plain of the river from north clockwise to south-west, the point of the triangle pointing south-east. The outline of a ditch (width c. 5.4m; depth c. 0.4m) appears to cut-off the promontory, running north from the southern cliff-face for c. 90m before turning at a shallow angle to the north-north-east for c. 125m to the northern cliff face; this latter section is barely evident on the ground as a scarped edge. The area enclosed measures c. 300m north-west to south-east and has a maximum width south-west to north-east of c. 200m. The line of the outer later medieval bawn of the castle (CO026-089001-; CO026-089004- & CO026-085----) appears to follow the line of the fort’s defenses. According to Power (1932, 111) the pre-Norman name for this site was Dún Cruadha. Ō Murchadha (1988, 206) identifies this as a stronghold of the Uí Laoghaire, who controlled this area before the arrival of the Normans. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of revision: 23 December 2019