Castle — motte and bailey in Dunnamona

National Monument No. 560. In 1971 the monument was described as a ‘high steep approx. circular earthen almost flat-topped mound. There is mortared masonry visible in the side of the motte. No recognisable trace of a bailey. The earthwork in the triangular corner of the townland to the W of the ‘D’ in Dunnamona is known locally as a churchyard’ (SMR File 21/09/1971). The mortared masonry was described in 1978 as ‘ on the west the upper portion of the mound has a rough facing or wall. This wall is of mortared stone and is probably medieval in date. There is a ledge at the base of the wall as if the side of the motte had been scarped or dug into in order to erect the wall. The lower sides of the motte show clear traces of soil creep’ (SMR File 16/06/1978). Another report from 1976 described the monument as a ‘large circular motte. The sides are fairly steep and regular. The southern side has been somewhat disturbed and there is a section of stone wall projecting from the SW side. Outside the motte on the NW and SE the ground has been disturbed by quarrying. The top of the motte is fairly flat, the south and SW part has been partly disturbed by quarrying. The diam. of the top is approx. 30m NW-SE and 21m NE-SW. This earthwork is on a gentle rise in well drained pasture land with wide views in all directions. There are no definite remains of a bailey or indications that one existed here’ (SMR File 26/05/1976). A second report in 1978 mentioned the presence of earthworks (WM023-013002-) around the base of the motte to the N and W which were described as traces of ‘a bank on the North and Western edges of the quarry to the NW of the motte. This area may represent the site of the bailey. A series of low banks and scarps extends southwards from the motte. SW of the motte and bounded on West and NW by a field fence is a sub-oval shaped enclosure bounded by a low bank set on a scarp. This enclosure is divided by a wide low bank set on a low scarp running across its shorter axis NW-SE. A number of low banks extend East and South from this enclosure to a large circular enclosure to the SE. This enclosure is roughly circular and is bounded by a very low earthen bank set on a very low scarp. There are remains of a very shallow fosse on North, NW and South. The interior of the enclosure is featureless apart from low cultivation ridges which cross it. A number of shallow fosses, probably fairly modern field drain cross the area between this enclosure and the motte. The motte is built on a rise with wide views in all directions, while the circular enclosure is on very low lying ground to the South and the oval enclosure is on slightly higher ground to the SW of the motte. The whole area is crossed by old cultivation ridges and is now covered by long grass which makes detailed inspection fairly difficult’ (SMR File 21/06/1978). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 26 January 2016