Moated site, Kilkieran, Co. Kilkenny
About 220 metres north of the River Sruhnasilloge in Kilkieran, County Kilkenny, sits a medieval moated site that tells a story of Ireland's turbulent past.
Moated site, Kilkieran, Co. Kilkenny
The site consists of a raised platform that stands approximately one metre above the surrounding field level, encircled by what was once a defensive water-filled moat. Though the surrounding fields have long since been reclaimed for agriculture, this particular spot remains overgrown with trees and scrub, creating a pocket of rough pasture that hints at its historical significance.
Archaeological surveys conducted by Barry in 1977 revealed fascinating details about the site’s construction. The interior features an earthen bank measuring two metres wide and half a metre high, with notably heaped corners that would have provided additional defensive strength. The moat itself, though now largely silted up, was originally an impressive 2.4 metres wide and 1.7 metres deep; a formidable barrier that would have deterred unwanted visitors. Field boundaries still trace the site’s western edge, running northwest to southeast, whilst evidence suggests another boundary once extended eastward from the northeast corner, though this has since been levelled.
This moated site isn’t alone in the landscape; another similar structure lies about 400 metres to the north, suggesting this area held particular importance during the medieval period. These moated sites, typically dating from the 13th to 14th centuries, were often associated with Anglo-Norman settlement patterns in Ireland. They served as fortified homesteads for wealthy farmers or minor nobility, offering protection whilst allowing control over the surrounding agricultural lands. Today, these earthworks stand as subtle but enduring monuments to medieval life in rural Kilkenny.





