Embanked enclosure, Kilmore, Co. Roscommon

Co. Roscommon |

Ringforts

Embanked enclosure, Kilmore, Co. Roscommon

On the crest of a north-west to south-east ridge at Kilmore in County Roscommon sits a circular enclosure that, despite centuries of grass and weathering, refuses to fully disappear.

Roughly twenty-three metres across, its boundary is formed by a low spread of stone, now turf-covered, that varies noticeably in its proportions as you move around the perimeter. The western side is the most substantial, with the bank spreading to about three and a half metres wide and rising to roughly eighty centimetres on the exterior face, while the southern stretch is considerably slimmer and lower. At the south-west corner, inner and outer facing stones are still visible, suggesting the original wall was built to a width of around one metre, a neat piece of construction that has since slumped into its current, more formless state. Bushes grow along the southern and western perimeter. There is no visible entrance anywhere around the circuit.

That last detail is worth pausing on. Embanked enclosures are found across Ireland, and while their precise purposes vary, they are generally understood as defined spaces set apart from the surrounding landscape, used for settlement, agriculture, ritual, or some combination of all three. The complete absence of a visible entrance gap is unusual and may simply mean that any original break in the bank has been obscured by collapse and vegetation over a very long period. The ridge-top position would have made this a prominent feature in its day, visible across the surrounding lowland and, equally, offering a clear view outward. The internal diameter, at roughly twenty-one to twenty-three metres depending on the axis measured, is consistent with enclosures of early medieval date, though without excavation any firm dating remains speculative.

Rated 0 out of 5

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of Pete F
Pete F
IrishHistory.com is passionate about helping people discover and connect with the rich stories of their local communities.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Embanked enclosure, Kilmore, Co. Roscommon. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 100 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.

Advertisement