Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Larkhill

In rocky pasture, on the lower N-facing slopes of the Ox Mountains and straddling a narrow terrace with a steep N-facing slope. A roughly circular area (23.3m N-S; 26m E-W) defined NE-NW by two earthen banks and an intervening fosse (Wth 3.8m) and NW-NE by a steep curving scarp (H 3.7m). The inner bank is substantial (Wth 5.6m; int. H 0.9m; ext. H 2.8m) apart from along the S arc and an internal revetment of drystone walling (H 0.6m) is evident at SSE. The entrance (Wth 3m) is at S, partially obscured by a pile of field clearance stones, with a causeway (Wth 1.8m) across the fosse. The outer bank (Wth 5.5m; int. H 1.5m; ext. H 1.5m) has an entrance at S blocked with stones. Both banks are capped by the low remains of a wall (Wth 1.2m) along the W arc. The interior slopes slightly down to N and S from the centre. A low N-S field boundary crosses the interior just W of the centre. This field boundary forms the W side of a roughly square structure (6m E-W; 7.3m N-S) which is defined by low sod-covered wall footings (Wth 1.1m; int. H 0.3m; ext. H 0.55m) on its N, E and S sides. A narrow terrace (Wth 1.7m), the outer edge of which is marked by stones, skirts the base of the scarp NW-NE. An E-W field boundary lies immediately to S of the rath. The surrounding slopes have recently been planted with trees. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008