Historical maps dating back to 1773 show this feature marked as ‘Rath’, whilst a later estate map from 1833, drawn up for the Marquis of Drogheda, labels it as ‘Fort’. The first Ordnance Survey map of 1839 depicts an almost perfect square structure, measuring approximately 46 metres from north-northwest to south-southeast and 44 metres from east-northeast to west-southwest. By 1986, however, no visible trace remained above ground, leaving only the cartographic evidence to tell its story.

The site’s square shape raises intriguing questions about its original purpose. Whilst early mapmakers labelled it as a rath, which typically refers to the circular earthen ringforts that dot the Irish landscape, its distinctive square footprint suggests it might have been something quite different. Archaeological records indicate it may have been a moated site, similar to another example located about 730 metres to the west. These moated sites, often dating from the Anglo-Norman period, were typically rectangular or square enclosures surrounded by water-filled ditches, serving as fortified homesteads for wealthy landowners.

Today, this enigmatic site exists only in historical records and maps, its physical presence long since absorbed back into the well-drained pastureland. The careful documentation by cartographers like Scale and Longfield, along with the meticulous records of the Ordnance Survey, ensures that even vanished features like this continue to contribute to our understanding of Ireland’s layered medieval landscape. The site serves as a reminder that beneath Ireland’s peaceful countryside lie countless stories of settlement, defence, and daily life from centuries past.