Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Manserghshill

In grassland on a N-facing slope of rising ground in upland area with good views from W through N to E, higher ground to S. Ringfort consists of a circular area (int. diam. 28m N-S; 30m E-W) enclosed by an earth and stone tree-lined bank (top Wth 2-4m; base Wth 3.5m; int. H 0.3-1m; ext. H 1.5m) and outer fosse (base Wth 2.5m; ext. D 0.3-1m; top Wth 4m) which appears to have been enclosed by a later field boundary of possible 19th-century date. Gap (Wth 8m) in bank at SE may be an inserted feature. Poorly preserved inner bank best preserved on upslope and reduced to a scarp on the downslope from NW through N to NNE. Interior slopes from S to N following the natural slope of the hillside the monument is located on. No remains visible of an outer fosse on the downlsope from NW through N to NNE but elsewhere it survives as a wide flat-bottomed fosse which may have been re-cut when the monument was enclosed by a later field boundary the remains of which survive as an earth and stone bank at NE only. Univallate ringfort which may have been landscaped as a tree ring with an outer bank created as a field boundary enclosing the monument, the fosse may have been re-cut during the landscaping. The ringfort was planted with beech trees all around the top of the enclosing bank. Cattle poaching of bank and external face heavily degraded by livestock which has removed all vegetation cover, fair to poor condition of the enclosing bank. Sharp fresh profile of outer fosse suggests re-use as a landscape feature. Ringfort is best preserved on its upslope and poorly preserved on the downlsope. Interior is well preserved with no damage visible or any ground disturbance of the interior. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011