Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Ardnaglass

In gently undulating low-lying pasture, on top of a natural hillock, at the base of a NE-SW ridge. A raised oval area (22.5m N-S; 15.1m E-W) defined by two earthen banks and an intervening fosse WSW-E with the enclosing elements along the SE arc destroyed by quarrying. The inner earthen bank (int. H 0.45m; ext. H 3.6m), WSW-E, is constructed along the edge of the summit of the hillock while the outer earthen bank (int. H 0.4m; ext. H 2.8m), SW-WSW and W-NNE, is constructed close to the base of the hillock. The base of the fosse (Wth 2.1m at base), situated just inside the outer bank, lies above the level of the surrounding field as it is cut into the lower slopes of the hillock. The sides of the hillock, between the inner and outer banks, have a very steep incline, suggesting that they have been scarped to increase the natural slope. The fosse and bank are replaced by a level area or terrace (Wth 6m) NNE-E. The quarry has removed the internal and external bank and approximately one-fifth of the interior in the SE sector. The remaining interior of the rath is level and clear of overgrowth. The rath overlooks a rail track and the Owenmore River to NW. 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