Cathair Murthuile -Hachured/Indic. — Mortlestown

In rough pasture, on the summit of Mortlestown Hill, 20m W of townland boundary with Ballygeagoge. An earthwork (LI056-011002-) intersects the site at NW. Depicted on the 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map as a circular earthwork intersected at NW and NE by a post-1700 field boundary running roughly E-W. Annotated ‘Caher Mortle’ on the 1897 ed. OSi 25-inch map where shown as a circular-shaped area defined by an internal and external bank with intervening fosse, the external bank is incorporated into a field boundary from NW-N-NE. An OSi trig. station marking 738 ft. OD stands in the centre. Annotated 'Cathair Murthuile' on Cassini ed. OSi 6-inch map Described by Westropp (1916-17, 470, 475, 494) as following; ‘On a conspicuous rounded hill, scarred by a great red quarry and guarding the mouth of the pass between Kilfinnan and Ardpatrick, stand the fort of Cahir Mortell. This “mote” is a strong, well-preserved ring-fort, and was an actual cathair or ring-wall, but based on a mound or earthen platform. Little of the stonework remains save some of blocks 18 inches [0.45m] square and large ones 2 feet 6 inches [0.79m] by 3 feet [0.91], near the gateway. The fort has an outer ring once mainly of stone, 3 feet [0.91] to 4 feet 6 inches [1.4m] high over the field, 14 feet [4.26m] to 10 feet [3.04m] wide. The fosse is usually 12 feet [3.65m] wide below and 18 feet [5.4m] to 20 feet [6.08m] at the field. It is 8 feet [2.4m] deep, the central ring rising over it 18 feet [5.4m] to 20 feet[6.08m] high to the west and north. The crowning wall was 12 feet [3.65m] to 18 feet [5.4m] thick; the garth measures 68 feet [20.72m] east and west, 81 feet [24.68m] north and south inside, or 96 feet [29.26m] to 105 feet [32m] over the wall. It has a noble view up the pass, and of Seefin and Slibah riach, Kilfinnan with its mote, and the endless plains below. The gateway was to the east, with a gangway 6 feet [1.8m] high, 25 feet [7.26m] long, and 10 feet [3.04] wide, built of very large blocks, perhaps taken from the wall in later days; many are over 4 feet [1.2m] long. The gate was about 5 feet [1.52m] wide; portions of old piers are traceable. Monument visible as circular area enclosed by banks overgrown with trees and relic field boundary intersecting the site at NW on Digital Globe orthoimage taken between 2011-13 and on Google Earth orthoimages. See attached plan and section drawing by Westropp, black and white oblique aerial photograph (CUCAP ADT058), ASI oblique aerial photograph (ASIAP) and Google Earth orthoimages Compiled by: Fiona Rooney Date of upload: 25 November 2021