Moataward, Lisnagrish, Co. Longford
In a pasture at the northwest end of a ridge in Moataward, Lisnagrish, County Longford, the remains of a medieval motte and bailey castle command views across the flat, poorly drained land to the north.
Moataward, Lisnagrish, Co. Longford
The motte itself is a circular, steep-sided earthwork rising between 3 and 4.5 metres high, with a base diameter of roughly 15 metres. Though time has taken its toll, with the eastern face partially collapsed and a depression on the summit likely caused by its later use as an Ordnance Survey spot height marker, the structure remains impressively intact. The mound is surrounded by a substantial fosse; a defensive ditch measuring 4.4 metres wide and a metre deep that curves from the southwest around to the north.
The crescent-shaped bailey extends southeast from the motte, defined by a scarp that rises 1.5 to 2.5 metres externally. Stone wall footings are still visible along the southeastern edge of this scarp, whilst the bailey itself is protected by another wide fosse and an outer bank lined with trees. Though parts of the outer bank have been levelled from the southeast to the south, and livestock gaps have been cut through at two points, the defensive layout remains clear.
What makes this particular motte and bailey unusual is the presence of a wide, flat-topped berm that extends from the outer bank. This platform, which varies between 5 and 9 metres in width and stands 1.3 metres high externally, runs from the west-southwest around to the east, essentially protecting the vulnerable sides of the motte not covered by the bailey. Internal wall footings along this berm indicate it was once stone-faced from the southwest to the north, suggesting a more substantial defensive structure than the typical earthwork fortification.