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Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Nicholastown

Fairy fort / earthen ringfort
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What is recorded here

On a SW-facing slope, off crest of hill in undulating terrain. Surrounding field is under grass. Nicholastown tower house (TS082-043001-) is visible c. 500m to the NE. Ringfort (diam. 27.6m E-W; N-S obtained from map c. 34m) enclosed by very slight bank or scarp (Wth 2-5m; int. H 0.25m; ext. H 1.5-1.77m); fosse (Wth 2m; D 1.1m) only visible in W sector and outer bank (Wth 3m crest; c. 6m base; ext. H c. 2m). The monument has been fenced off. The banks are heavily overgrown and the interior is nettle covered. A townland boundary runs NW-SE past the SW quadrant. A break in the bank (at least 2m - obscured by vegetation) in the E quadrant may be original entrance but appears to have been widened. According to a site inspection in 1957 there was good access for cattle (OPW files, 20.5.1957). Also at this time an old gravel-pit was noted immediately SW of the ringfort, which exaggerates the external height of the bank (ibid), this is now heavily overgrown. A concrete farm building has been built-up against the inner bank in SE quadrant. An area c. 30m SW of the ringfort was archaeologically excavated in 1998 but no archaeological remains were found (Henry 2000, 201). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 04 February 2014

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.