Outlined — Sheepstown

Possible moated site (WM008-070----) 230m to NE. Depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as a trapezoidal shaped field with an adjoining house. This sub-rectangular shaped area (approx. dims. 37m NNE-SSW; 27m ESE-WNW) is enclosed by a poorly preserved earthen bank and fosse. This fosse is only visible a NE. Immediately to the N-E-SE there are an extensive series of low banks and fosses forming a settlement earthwork complex covering an area of 2.3 hectares. These earthworks are clearly visible on Digital Globe aerial photograph taken November 2011. To the S of the rectangular enclosure there is what appears to be the remains of a sunken road running roughly W-E and then turning SE. In the SE corner of the field containing the rectangular enclosure there are cultivation ridges running NE-SW which are confined within a small rectangular shaped field. The earthworks in this field all appear to be related to settlement of uncertain date. They could be contemporaneous with the house depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map. The dating of this building is uncertain and the antiquity of the earthworks is also unclear. A pond feature is depicted to the N of this building on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map and some of these earthworks may be also be related to drainage associated with this pond feature. Compiled by: Frank Coyne and Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 24 April 2017