Fairy fort / stone ringfort in Deerpark (shrule By.)

On a low rise in unimproved grassland peppered with outcropping rock and within a walled deerpark (LF023-135----). This monument is very unusual in that it combines natural rock outcrop with drystone walling to form a possible cashel-like enclosure. There is no evidence of any levelling of the rock outcrop which protrudes everywhere within the interior. The uneven rocky nature of the latter may suggest that the cashel was constructed as a livestock enclosure - associated with two houses (LF023-071001-; LF023-071002-) that lie c. 25m to the NW and c. 15m to the SW respectively, and the surrounding field system (LF023-071003-). The enclosure consists of a subcircular area (47.8m N–S; 42.2m E–W) defined by a collapsed drystone wall (wall T c. 4m), which appears to follow the line of rock outcrop. A break (Wth 3m) at NW may indicate an entrance feature, but a second break (Wth 4m) at SSE appears to be more convincing as the original entrance. There is evidence of internal walling or outcrop forming small subdivisions or paddocks within the interior. There is a field-clearance cairn (diam. c. 6m; H 0.4m) in the S sector. A series of low drystone field walls radiate from the external face of the enclosing wall from NW-N-E and run into a curving field bank, associated with the field system, forming a series of small enclosures or paddocks, some of which contain ridge and furrow. The houses, field system and cashel all appear to be of contemporary date. (CUCAP, AVJ 51) Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 11 January 2012