Enclosure in Formoyle (newcomen)

Associated with Formoyle House (LF021-010002-), which lies c. 130m to the ESE. According to local folklore, in 1682 this enclosure or ‘fort’ was believed to be ‘the dwelling place of the Famous Giant Henry Macoole and his Offspring and is called in Irish writings fformalenetiene which signifies the Chief place of the Giants; here was a very large round Rampier which men commonly called [blank] Fort, where the said Giants lived there was likewise under it ' (Gillespie and Moran 1991, 208). In May 1642 Dame Mary Browne, wife of Sir Silvester Browne of Formoyle, stated that Irishmen came 'to the gate of the said Fermoil, and desired to have them opened, which she refusing, they came over the fence, or great ditch [bank and fosse], into the base court [bawn]' (Hickson 1884, vol. 1, 358). Depicted on the 1914 edition of the OS 6-inch map as a substantial bank and fosse extending from S-W-NNE, with a NW-SE running field boundary running between the bank and fosse from S-WSW. All that survives of the bank along the line of the NW-SE running drystone field boundary is its external stone facing, which is visible on the inner face of the fosse. From WSW-N and at NNE the bank of earth and stone (base Wth 8m; top Wth 4m; H 1.5 max.), stone-faced externally, is clearly visible. The fosse (Wth 3.6m; D 0.6m) is largely infilled. From NNE-E the bank and fosse have been levelled but the line of the monument is defined by a low scarp. On the basis of the extant remains it would seem that the enclosed area was originally polygonal in plan (dims. c. 115m N-S; c. 100m E-W). The enclosure may have been reused as a bawn or outer courtyard to the rear of Formoyle House, and it may have acted as an outer fortification protecting the orchards that were formerly located within it (Kenny 1995, 57) and the gardens (LF021-010003-) immediately to the S of the house. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 26 August 2011