Moated site, Togherstown, Co. Westmeath

Moated site, Togherstown, Co. Westmeath

The moated site at Togherstown in County Westmeath sits on a north-facing slope, with a ringfort positioned 125 metres to the west.

Moated site, Togherstown, Co. Westmeath

This substantial earthwork takes the form of a roughly rectangular enclosure measuring 47 metres north to south and 35.5 metres east to west internally, with gently curved sides and rounded corners. The site slopes noticeably from its southern to northern end, following the natural fall of the ridge on which it was built. It’s bounded by impressive earth and stone ramparts that still show traces of both internal and external stone facing, particularly well-preserved along the southern end and eastern side where the bank rises significantly above the interior.

Beyond the main bank, a narrow fosse runs around the perimeter, with a slight counterscarp bank of earth and stone outside it, though this outer bank is quite fragmentary and has been partly quarried away on the east-northeast side. The fosse reaches its greatest depth in the southeast corner. A six-metre-wide gap in the eastern side of the inner bank likely marks the original entrance, though it’s now partially blocked by collapsed material and lacks any clear evidence of a causeway. The interior contains several intriguing features, including what appear to be internal partition walls in the northeast corner and a collection of five small enclosures on the southwest side and western corner, with a larger enclosure in the eastern corner.



Of particular interest is a small square hut foundation in the southwest corner, built with earth and stone banks, which represents a clearly identifiable house site. Another possible dwelling appears to adjoin it to the north, with traces of a substantial stone wall running northward from this structure. While the exact purpose of all the interior enclosures remains somewhat unclear, they likely represent the remains of various domestic structures. The site commands good views across the pastoral landscape to the north, west, and east; a strategic position that would have made it an ideal location for a medieval settlement.

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Togherstown, Co. Westmeath
53.49772856, -7.55358259
53.49772856,-7.55358259
Togherstown 
Castle Features 

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