Enclosure, Rathangan Demesne, Co. Kildare

Co. Kildare |

Enclosures

Enclosure, Rathangan Demesne, Co. Kildare

Somewhere in the mixed woodland fringing the southern edge of Rathangan Demesne, a low earthen bank traces an almost perfect square in the ground, quietly ignored by the landscape around it. It is not a dramatic feature; the interior sits only slightly raised, the bank itself rises barely a metre on its outer face, and the shallow fosse, a ditch encircling the outside, is little more than a gentle depression. Yet the geometry is deliberate, and the question of what it enclosed, and when, has no obvious answer.

What makes the site particularly curious is its relationship with the maps. When the Ordnance Survey recorded this part of County Kildare for their first six-inch edition in 1838, the enclosure did not appear, and the ground was open rather than wooded. By the time the revised edition was published in 1910, trees had colonised a narrow strip along the townland's southern boundary, and the feature was recorded within that new woodland. It is possible the enclosure predates both maps by centuries, concealed or simply missed in 1838, and only noticed once the tree cover gave surveyors reason to look more carefully. The earthwork measures roughly 28 metres north to south and 26 metres east to west internally, with a surrounding bank about two metres wide. An enclosure of this kind, defined by a raised bank and outer fosse, is a form found across Ireland in contexts ranging from early medieval settlement to later agricultural or ornamental use, and nothing in its current condition settles the question of its origins.

The site lies approximately ten metres north of a small westward-flowing stream, in mixed woodland that has grown up around it over the past two centuries at least. The earthwork is poorly preserved, so picking out its edges requires some patience once you are among the trees.

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 Enclosure, Rathangan Demesne, Co. Kildare. 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