Moated site, Ballyvockoge, Co. Limerick
In the gently rolling pastures of Ballyvockoge, County Limerick, lies the remnants of what appears to be a medieval moated site.
Moated site, Ballyvockoge, Co. Limerick
The location first caught the attention of surveyors when it was recorded on the 1923 Ordnance Survey map as a distinctive square area with L-shaped annexes on its northwest and southeast sides. Though the site has been considerably levelled over the years, careful observation still reveals its original form as a sub-rectangular enclosure measuring approximately 42 metres from north-northwest to south-southeast and around 20 metres from west-southwest to east-northeast.
Today, visitors can trace the outline of this historic site through its surviving earthworks. A low earthen bank defines the north-northwest to south-southeast sides, standing about 35 centimetres high on the inside and 65 centimetres on the outside. The south-southeast to north-northwest side is marked by a more irregular and less distinct scarp. The only remaining evidence of the original L-shaped annex is a modest scarped edge, just 20 centimetres high, which runs east-southeast for about 20 metres from the grounds of a recently built house situated roughly 40 metres northeast of the main enclosure.
The site was formally recognised as a moated site by researcher Barry in 1981, who included it as site number 9 in his catalogue of such structures. These moated sites, typically dating from the Anglo-Norman period, were often associated with manorial complexes where local lords or wealthy farmers would have resided. The moat would have served both defensive and status purposes, marking the importance of those who lived within whilst providing a degree of protection in what could be uncertain times.





