Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Simonstown (farbill By.)

Situated on a slight rise, in gently undulating pasture, overlooked by higher ground to NW and N. Depicted on the revised 1913 ed. OS 25-inch map as an irregular oval-shaped earthwork (approx. dims 54m N-S; 50m E-W). Monument described in 1970 as a roughly circular-shaped area enclosed by a substantial inner bank, the slight remains of an intervening fosse and an outer bank. The inner bank is best preserved from SSE-SW-W-NW, it is almost reduced to a scarp from NNE-SE and has been removed from NW-N-NNE in relatively modern times. A gap (Wth at top 7.6m; basal Wth 1.3m) at ENE presumably marks the entrance. There are possible remains of internal stone facing along the inner edge of the bank on the N side of the gap. Other gaps are at SSE and SW. A slight intervening fosse and a short segment of an outer bank are visible at WNW. A modern fence extends just outside the perimeter from WNW-N-NNE. A similar fence extends outside the bank from ESE-S-SSW and it appears to have been built along the outer edge of a possible fosse. There the ground outside the bank has been disturbed in relatively modern times on the E and W sides. The interior has a gentle WSW-facing slope. Monument is visible as a tree-covered earthwork on Digital Globe aerial photography. Compiled by Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien. Date of upload: 09 July 2019