Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Rathbaun

In pasture, on a slight E-facing slope of a ridge. A raised roughly circular area (23.5m N-S; 26m E-W) defined by two earthen banks and an intervening fosse. The remains of a possible third earthen bank survives along the SE arc. The inner earthen bank (int. H 0.45m; ext. H 2.8m) is evident W-N, at NE and E-SSE, with a scarp surviving elsewhere. The intervening fosse (Wth 3.1m at base) and the outer earthen bank (int. H 1.5m; ext. H. 0.6m) are visible all round. A crescent-shaped berm abuts the base of the outer bank ENE-SSE. The S half of this crescent is defined along its edge by a low bank (int. H 0.35m; ext. H 0.9m) ESE-SSE and may be the remains of a third bank. The entrance is at ENE with a 2.6m wide break in the inner bank and a 1.70m wide break in the outer bank, joined by a ramp across the fosse. The interior slopes gently down to the E and is clear of overgrowth. A trench (L 10.5m; Wth 6m; D 0.75m) due to quarrying extends from SW of centre to the line of the inner bank at W. Small crescent-shaped quarry holes have removed the inner bank N-NE and SE-S. The quarries are now disused and the spoil dumped across the interior of the rath. A SW-NE field drain abuts the external face of the outer bank along the NW arc. A relict N-S field boundary abuts the external bank at SSE. There is a rectangular enclosure (SL033-001----) immediately to NW in the adjoining field. 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