Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Churchfield (costello By.)

In improved pasture, utilising a natural rise broken by limestone outcropping. The location affords extensive views, especially to S along a broad valley of flat bog and pasture. Ground rises gently to NE−E. Slightly raised, oval area (44.4m NW–SE; 34.8m NE–SW) defined by an earth and stone bank (Wth 4.2m; int. H 0.3m; ext. H 1.65m at N, 1.25m at S), outside which it is enclosed by a flat-bottomed fosse (Wth 3.2m at N, 2.7m at S) with an external bank (Wth 2.4m; int. H 0.6m at N, 0.35m at S; ext. H 0.5m). Stone protrude from the inner bank, possibly remnants of stone facing. The less substantial external bank also exhibits evidence of possible internal stone facing, especially at SW–W. Remnants of a field bank (Wth 1.3m; H 0.3m) on a WNW–ENE axis traverses the interior roughly centrally in a gently sinuous curve, with a depression/quarry pit (4m NW–SE; 2m NE–SW; D 0.4m) abutting its S side towards its E end. A larger, deeply quarried pit (20m NW–SE; 8.5m NE–SW; D 1.5m), irregular in plan with stones and boulders protruding from its sides, cuts through the inner bank and extends into the interior at S. Another deep pit (max. dim. c. 10m) truncates the inner bank and the fosse at N. All these quarry pits are now grassed over. The location of the original entrance is unclear. There is a slumped section (Wth 3.6m) of the inner bank at NE; a low break (Wth 1.2) in both the inner and outer banks at SE; and a gap (Wth 3m) in the external bank at the SSE with stones protruding from the terminals. The latter is close to a quarry pit which has truncated the corresponding section of the inner bank. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 11 March 2022