Bastioned fort in Bellahy

In flat dry land, on the E side of Bellahy village and c. 200m N of the Sligo-Mayo border at Charlestown. The fortification is depicted on the 1838 OS 6-inch map as a square enclosure (c. 40m N-S; c. 40m E-W) with an angled bastion at each corner, all enclosed by an external fosse (see plan in Kerrigan 1995, fig. 51). The NE bastion survives as a D-shaped mound (straight side 19m NNE-SSW, projecting 11m to ESE; H 1.55m) with a flat rectangular top (12m NNE-SSW; 5m ESE-WNW) and an external fosse (Wth 9.4m; max. D 0.6m). A field boundary respects the mound on the N and W sides and extends SSW apparently on the line of the E rampart. The faint outline of the outer edge of the fosse extends SSW for c. 35m, on the E side of the field boundary and beyond. During a previous inspection in 1994 (SMR (1989) file) it was recorded that the northern part of the fort was fairly intact with the NW and NE angled bastions clearly visible and standing 1.5-2m above the ground; this area has since been levelled by intensive horticultural activity and roadworks. This fort was under construction in 1655-6, under the supervision of the engineer William Webb, and was known as 'Fort Cromwell' (O'Dowd 1991, 131). It was built to house a garrison of 100 men (Kerrigan 1995, 102). It was constructed 'of earthworks faced with masonry walls' inside which were 'timber-framed houses' (Kerrigan 1980, 147; Kerrigan 1995, 97-8). On the E side of the area formerly the interior of the fort are the grass-covered foundations of a rectangular stone-built structure (14m NNE-SSW; 7m WNW-ESE; wall T c. 0.4-1m) (SL042-029001-), which according to local information is the remains of a church and is likely to date from the 18th century. 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