The site measures 37 metres from north to south and 35.5 metres from east to west, with its eastern boundary marked by a distinct scarp about 0.8 metres high. Whilst the other sides show only faint traces of their original defensive banks, the overall shape of the enclosure remains clear to the trained eye.

The site’s defensive features include a shallow fosse, or dry moat, along the western and northern sides, reaching depths of around 0.45 metres. These earthwork defences would have originally surrounded a timber or stone structure, typical of Anglo-Norman settlements that dotted the Irish countryside from the 12th century onwards. The interior of the site slopes gently from west to east, following the natural contours of the land towards the river valley.

Moated sites like this one at Knocknagappul served as fortified farmsteads for Anglo-Norman colonists and later Gaelicised families throughout medieval Ireland. They represent a fascinating chapter in Irish history, marking the transition from purely military fortifications to defended agricultural settlements. Today, these earthworks offer tangible connections to Cork’s medieval past, their grassy banks and hollows preserving the outline of homes that once stood at the heart of working farms centuries ago.