Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Ardsoreen

In poorly drained level pasture, at the W end of a low natural elevation in a narrow valley. A slightly raised roughly circular area (c. 23m N-S; 27.6m E-W) defined by a scarp, an outer bank and an intervening and external fosse. All enclosing elements are levelled NW-NE and the area is marked by a dense growth of rushes. The scarp (H 0.9m) is generally well defined NE-NW. The intervening flat-bottomed fosse (Wth 3.2m) is marked by a growth of rushes NE-NW; elsewhere the fosse is evident as band of wet ground. The outer bank (Wth 5m; int. H 1.5m; ext. H 1.1m) is partially truncated NE-E by a substantial field boundary with a drain but elsewhere it is broad with a compact rounded profile, flattened on the top in places. The external fosse (Wth 2m; D 0.2m) is evident ESE-NW as narrow shallow depression, indicated mainly by a growth of rushes, and truncated NE-E by a field boundary. There is an entrance at E consisting of a causeway (Wth 3.2m) across the intervening fosse with traces of a corresponding gap in the outer bank. The W half of the interior is higher than the E half with a gradual slope down towards centre. There is a stream c. 15m to N. 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