Moated site, Glennaslat, Co. Galway
In the rolling grasslands of Glennaslat, County Galway, a curious square earthwork marks the landscape.
Moated site, Glennaslat, Co. Galway
This moated site, measuring 43 metres on each side, consists of two concentric earthen banks with a defensive ditch, or fosse, running between them. The entire structure has been reclaimed by nature over the centuries, with trees now growing thickly along the banks, giving it an almost secretive appearance amongst the undulating fields.
The fortification’s design follows a classic medieval pattern. The inner bank stands roughly a metre high and about 1.5 metres wide at its crown, encircling the entire site. Between this and an outer defensive bank runs the fosse, nearly two metres wide, though time has erased portions of it along the eastern and southeastern sections. The outer bank remains visible in segments; it curves from the southeast through the south to the northwest, and picks up again from the northeast to the east. Two gaps puncture the defences at the eastern and western points, though the western opening may be a more recent addition rather than an original entrance.
Today, a north to south field wall cuts straight through the monument, a reminder of how later agricultural practices have overlaid these ancient sites. About 145 metres to the northwest stands another rath, suggesting this area once held considerable importance for its medieval inhabitants. These moated sites, common across Ireland, likely served as fortified homesteads for Anglo-Norman settlers or Gaelicised families during the medieval period, combining defensive capabilities with agricultural management of the surrounding lands.