Moated site, Newbawn, Co. Wexford

Moated site, Newbawn, Co. Wexford

In the townland of Newbawn, County Wexford, a curious square depression in the landscape marks the site of a medieval moated enclosure.

Moated site, Newbawn, Co. Wexford

First recorded on the 1839 Ordnance Survey six-inch map, this rectangular earthwork measures approximately 50 metres east to west and 45 metres north to south. The site occupies a gentle slope that faces east and southeast, its grassy banks forming a distinct square depression roughly 50 metres on each side, with the ground rising slightly towards the centre.

This type of earthwork represents a common form of medieval settlement in Ireland, particularly popular during the 13th and 14th centuries when Anglo-Norman colonists established farmsteads throughout the countryside. Moated sites like this one typically consisted of a rectangular platform surrounded by a water-filled ditch, which served both defensive and drainage purposes. The raised central area would have supported a timber hall and associated farm buildings, whilst the surrounding moat provided security for livestock and stored crops.



Though centuries have passed since its abandonment, the Newbawn moated site remains clearly visible in the landscape, its earthen banks and central platform still discernible despite the passage of time. Archaeological surveys conducted by Barry in 1977 helped document this and other similar sites across County Wexford, contributing to our understanding of medieval rural settlement patterns in southeast Ireland. Today, the site stands as a subtle reminder of the medieval farming communities that once shaped this corner of the Irish countryside.

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Barry, T.B. 1977 Medieval moated sites of south-eastern Ireland. British Archaeological Reports, British Series 35. Oxford.
Newbawn, Co. Wexford
52.33748628, -6.79225467
52.33748628,-6.79225467
Newbawn 
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