Enclosure, Seafield, Co. Sligo

Co. Sligo |

Enclosures

Enclosure, Seafield, Co. Sligo

On a steep-sided ridge rising above the flat pasture of Seafield, there is an oval enclosure that raises more questions than it answers.

Measuring roughly 16.6 metres by 14.3 metres internally, it sits on ground that commands a clear view over Ballysadare Bay, and that positioning alone suggests whoever made it had reasons beyond simple convenience. What survives is modest, a low bank no more than 0.3 metres high, possibly the collapsed remnant of a stone wall, with no trace of a ditch and no legible entrance.

Enclosures of this kind are common enough across Ireland that they resist easy classification. They may be prehistoric, early medieval, or later; without excavation or associated finds, the date and function of this one remain open. What adds a quiet note of deliberateness to the site is the western exterior, where the ground appears to have been scarped, meaning the slope was cut back or shaped to steepen it artificially. That kind of effort implies the ridge was not simply chosen for its natural advantages but was modified to reinforce them, whether for defence, for ceremony, or for something else entirely. The absence of a ditch, which would typically accompany a defensive enclosure, leaves the purpose genuinely unresolved.

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, Seafield, Co. Sligo. 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