Hillfort, Kilcashel, Co. Wicklow

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Hillfort, Kilcashel, Co. Wicklow

Perched on the sloping hillside near the small village of Ballygahan in County Wicklow, an intriguing oval hillfort overlooks a dramatic bend in the Avoca Valley.

First spotted from aerial photographs in 2006 by Michael Moore, this ancient earthwork spans approximately 1.6 hectares, stretching roughly 200 metres from northeast to southwest and 100 metres from northwest to southeast. Though it doesn't appear on the earliest Ordnance Survey maps from 1841, the site shows up as an oval field on the 1908 edition, suggesting it may have been overlooked or obscured by vegetation for decades.

The hillfort occupies a strategic position with steep slopes falling away to the north, east and south, offering commanding views across the entire Avoca river valley. Despite its prominence in the landscape, the monument remains something of a mystery; no entrance features have been identified, and the ramparts themselves haven't been properly excavated or archaeologically recorded. Today, the entire site lies hidden beneath dense scrub, making it difficult to assess the condition of the earthworks or identify any internal features that might reveal more about its original purpose and inhabitants.

The surrounding landscape tells its own story of human activity across the centuries. Extensive copper mining operations once thrived immediately to the northeast, east and south of the hillfort, and a curious mound abutting the exterior of the enclosing elements at the northeast corner might be connected to this more recent industrial past rather than the ancient fort itself. Remarkably, despite its size and strategic importance, this hillfort hasn't yet been included in the official archaeological inventory of County Wicklow, though it has earned a place in the Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland, where researchers continue to piece together its enigmatic history.

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Pete F
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