Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Martinstown (lune By.)

Situated on a rise in a low-lying fairly level landscape with a canalised NNW-SSE section of the Athboy River immediately to the E and a NW-SE drain just to the SW. It is depicted as a circular embanked enclosure (ext. diam. c. 50m) only on the 1836 edition of the OS 6-inch map. This is a D-shaped and slightly domed (H 0.7m to NW; 1.8mm to SE) grass-covered area (dims 51m N-S; 46m E-W) defined by the remnants of an earthen bank largely reduced to a scarp that is separated by a fosse (Wth of top 7-8m; Wth of base 1-3.5m; int. D 1-1.5m; ext. D 0.5-1.1m) from an outer bank (Wth of base 4-5m; ext. H 0.5-1.1m). There is a second outer fosse or drain (Wth of top 5-6m; Wth of base 1-3m; ext. D 0.9m) SE-W-NE that connects with the river at either end, and which has an external bank (Wth 5m; ext. H 0.5m) SE-S (max. ext. diam. 81m NW-SE). There is a widened entrance through the inner (Wth of base 6m), and outer (Wth of base 9m) banks at SE with causeways over the inner (Wth of top 4.2m; H 0.45m) and outer (Wth of top 5.2m; H 0.3m) fosses. When inspected in 1969 the monument was divided into four quadrants by relict ditches dug NE-SW and NW-SE. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of revision: 27 February 2019 Amended: 23 March 2023