What is recorded here

The fairy fort or earthen ringfort in Portnashangan is in County Westmeath, Ireland. This circular area, approximately thirty-five metres in diameter from north to south, sits at the bottom of a low ridge with good pasture rising gradually to the south and Ballynafid Lake one hundred and ten metres to the west. The monument is enclosed by a low earth and stone bank, which is defaced and has a profile sharpened in recent times, with an external fosse visible only at the east and from west to west-northwest. A wide entrance gap exists at the southwest, while a second blocked up entrance at the southeast is not well defined, and post 1700 field fences intersect the perimeter at north, southeast, and southwest.

Situated at the bottom of a low ridge on good pasture which rises gradually S of the site, with Ballynafid Lake 110m to W. Depicted as a tree-lined enclosure and annotated as a 'fort' on the 1837 ed. OS Fair Plan map. Circular shaped area (approx. diam. 35m N-S ) enclosed by a low earth and stone bank with external fosse only visible at E, and from W-WNW. Present wide entrance gap at SW with a second blocked up entrance at SE, neither of which are well defined. The enclosing bank is defaced and the profile has been sharpened in recent times. Post 1700 field fences intersect the perimeter of the monument at N, SE and SW. Cultivation ridges are visible running E-W across the interior of the monument. Modern dwelling and farm buildings adjacent to site on the S. Modern road running N-S intersects perimeter of monument at E. See attached profile of monument surveyed and drawn by the ASI. Compiled by: Frank Coyne and Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 16 February 2018

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