Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Croftonpark

In undulating, average pasture. There is an enclosure (MA030-032) c. 250m to SE. This rath, originally circular in plan, is enclosed by the remains of three banks with two intervening fosses. The E half of the rath has been levelled; this destruction pre-dates the early 1800’s as only the W half of the rath is shown on the 1837 OS 6-inch map. The remains consist of a slightly raised, semi-circular area (c. 23-25m N–S; c. 18-20m E–W) defined at S–NNW by an earthen bank (Wth c. 5m; int. H 0.2m; ext. H 2m), with a fosse (Wth 5m) intervening between it and a second bank (Wth 4.7m; int. H 1.3m; ext. H 1.2m). Remnants of the second fosse (Wth 4m) and third, outermost bank (Wth 4m; int. H 0.9m; ext. H 1m) can be seen at S–SW and at NNW. The innermost bank is very low and eroded internally, but retains a pronounced external slope. The innermost fosse is well defined, but its external bank has been incorporated into the N–S line of a later field fence, which borders a road. The road skirts the W side of the rath, respecting its curve. It truncates/overlies the second fosse at WSW–NW, and appears to have truncated the third bank, although it is possible that remnants of this bank may be incorporated into the field fence on the W side of the road. On the levelled E half of the rath, the faint outline of the rath interior is discernible, but no trace of the enclosing banks and fosses are evident at ground level. Grass cover in the interior; dense brambles and thorn bushes on the banks at W. In undulating, average pasture. There is an enclosure (MA030-032) c. 250m to SE. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 13 April 2018