Round Mount, Corporation Land, Co. Wicklow
High above the Leitrim River at the northern edge of Wicklow town stands an intriguing earthwork known as Round Mount.
Round Mount, Corporation Land, Co. Wicklow
This steep-sided mound, rising six to seven metres in height, has seen better days; its southeastern side bears the scars of past excavations, whilst trees and briars have claimed much of its surface. Despite its overgrown state, the mound remains an important piece of Wicklow’s medieval heritage, likely serving as part of the town’s original borough defences or administrative centre.
The monument’s elevated position would have provided strategic advantages during the medieval period, offering clear views across the river valley and surrounding countryside. Such positioning was typical of Norman fortifications in Ireland, where natural topography was used to enhance defensive capabilities. The damage to the southeastern section, whilst unfortunate for preservation, has inadvertently provided archaeologists with insights into the mound’s construction methods and potential dating evidence.
Round Mount’s significance is officially recognised through its status as a protected monument under a preservation order dating back to 1940, making it one of the earlier sites to receive such protection in Ireland. Archaeological surveys conducted for the County Wicklow inventory have helped document its features, though much about its specific function and history remains to be discovered. Today, visitors can still make out the impressive earthwork beneath its wild covering, a tangible reminder of Wicklow’s medieval past hiding in plain sight on Corporation Land.





