This square enclosure measures 46 metres on each side and dates back to the medieval period when such defensive structures were common across Ireland. The site is surrounded by a fosse, or defensive ditch, approximately 2 metres deep on three sides; the south, west and north; whilst the eastern side remains open to the sloping ground.

The most intriguing feature is a 4-metre-wide causeway that crosses the western fosse, providing the original access point into the enclosure. This earthen bridge would have been the main entrance, possibly once fitted with a wooden gate or drawbridge for added security. The interior of the site is relatively level, though there’s a slight downward slope from the centre towards the eastern edge, following the natural contours of the hillside.

These moated sites, sometimes called moated granges, were typically built by Anglo-Norman settlers or wealthy Irish families between the 13th and 15th centuries. They served as fortified farmsteads or manor houses, with the surrounding ditch offering protection from raids whilst also demonstrating the owner’s status and wealth. Though no visible structures remain above ground at Killanamaul, the earthworks themselves tell the story of medieval life in rural Cork, when security concerns shaped even the most pastoral of settlements.