Moated site, Killadoughran, Co. Westmeath
In the grasslands of Killadoughran, County Westmeath, a roughly square earthwork sits atop a gently sloping ridge.
Moated site, Killadoughran, Co. Westmeath
This poorly drained site offers decent views across the surrounding landscape and measures approximately 26 metres from northwest to southeast and 38 metres from east to west. The area is enclosed by the remains of an earthen bank that curves from south through west and north to the northeast, whilst its eastern boundary follows a straight field fence and stream that marks the townland boundary with Ballynaskeagh.
The interior of this enclosure shows clear signs of past agricultural use, with traces of cultivation ridges running northeast to southwest across the space. A possible entrance gap, measuring about 3.2 metres wide, appears to have provided access from the northern side. Just 20 metres to the north lies what may be another moated site, suggesting this area held particular significance for medieval settlement.
This type of earthwork is typical of medieval Irish rural sites, where defensive earthen banks would have once protected farmsteads or small settlements. The Archaeological Survey of Ireland documented and surveyed the monument, creating a detailed profile that helps us understand its original structure. Compiled by Frank Coyne and Caimin O’Brien in April 2018, the survey reveals how these seemingly modest earthworks provide valuable insights into patterns of medieval occupation and land use in the Irish midlands.