Moated site, Carrowcardin, Co. Sligo

Co. Sligo |

Castle Features

Moated site, Carrowcardin, Co. Sligo

In the flat pastures of Carrowcardin, County Sligo, the remains of a medieval moated site reveal themselves through subtle depressions and raised boundaries in the landscape.

This rectangular enclosure, measuring approximately 56 metres northwest to southeast and 50 metres northeast to southwest, first appeared on the 1837 Ordnance Survey map as a large, defined space that would have once served as a fortified homestead during Ireland's turbulent medieval period.

The site's defensive features remain visible despite centuries of agricultural activity. Three sides of the enclosure; the northwest, northeast and southeast; are marked by what was once a water-filled fosse, now appearing as a broad, shallow depression roughly eight metres wide. The southwestern boundary tells a different story, where a substantial four-metre-wide field boundary likely incorporates remnants of the original defensive bank. Time and farming have taken their toll on the site, with partial levelling evident throughout the enclosure and a later field bank cutting through its northwestern end, accompanied by a well-worn farm track.

These moated sites were typically constructed between the 13th and 14th centuries by Anglo-Norman colonists or wealthy Gaelic families, serving as defended farmsteads rather than true castles. The water-filled moat would have provided both defence and drainage in these low-lying lands, whilst the enclosed area would have contained timber-framed buildings, perhaps a hall house, outbuildings and small garden plots. Today, cattle graze where medieval inhabitants once lived, worked and defended their small corner of Sligo's rich agricultural landscape.

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 Moated site, Carrowcardin, 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