Lissurland - Hachured, Lissurland, Co. Limerick
On a steep east-facing hillside in County Limerick, a curious square earthwork sits quietly in the pasture at Lissurland.
Lissurland - Hachured, Lissurland, Co. Limerick
This ancient enclosure, measuring 30 metres on each side, is defined by substantial earthen banks on three sides; the north, west and south. These banks rise to about 0.8 metres on the inside and 1.2 metres on the outside, accompanied by an external ditch that’s 1.3 metres deep with a base width of 1.8 metres. The eastern side takes advantage of the natural topography, with a dramatically scarped edge that drops 3.5 metres. A gap approximately 4 metres wide in the southwest corner likely served as the original entrance to this mysterious site, though much of it is now covered in overgrowth whilst the interior remains notably level.
The enclosure doesn’t stand alone in telling the story of this landscape. Immediately to the west, a series of rectangular areas bounded by low earthen banks mark the remains of formal gardens that once belonged to Lisurland House. The house itself, which stood about 50 metres south of the enclosure, has completely vanished from the landscape, leaving only these garden earthworks as testament to its existence.
Whilst the exact purpose and date of the square enclosure remain uncertain, its substantial construction and defensive features suggest it may have served as a ringfort or similar early medieval settlement. The relationship between this ancient earthwork and the later Lisurland House adds another layer of historical intrigue to the site, showing how different periods of Irish history have left their marks on the same patch of countryside.





