Moated site, Camaross, Co. Wexford

Co. Wexford |

Castle Features

Moated site, Camaross, Co. Wexford

The moated site at Camaross in County Wexford offers a fascinating glimpse into medieval Irish settlement patterns.

First discovered during centre-line testing for the realignment of the N25 road between Wexford town and New Ross in 2002, this rectangular enclosure sits on low-lying ground between two small streams. The site measures approximately 27 metres northwest to southeast and at least 30 metres from northeast to southwest, though only the northern half has been excavated so far.

At the heart of the enclosure stood a rectangular timber building that likely served as a dwelling, complete with internal room divisions and two hearths for warmth and cooking. The building was surrounded by impressive defensive moats, nearly 3 metres wide and equally deep, with a metalled surface near the northwestern moat suggesting the location of the main entrance. Stone-lined drains ran parallel to the eastern and western walls about a metre away, whilst shallow depressions on either side of the structure probably mark well-worn pathways used by the site's inhabitants.

Just beyond the northeastern moat, archaeologists uncovered what was initially interpreted as a pottery kiln, though more recent analysis suggests it was actually a corn-drying kiln; a vital piece of agricultural infrastructure in medieval Ireland. The surrounding landscape reveals remnants of a contemporary field system with various drains and ditches, painting a picture of a working farmstead that would have been both self-sufficient and well-defended. This type of moated site, whilst relatively common in other parts of Ireland and Britain, represents an important example of Anglo-Norman influence on the Irish landscape during the medieval period.

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