Moated site, Gortnasmuttaun, Co. Tipperary South
On the southwest-facing slope of rising ground in Gortnasmuttaun, County Tipperary South, a medieval moated site offers commanding views across the surrounding upland landscape.
Moated site, Gortnasmuttaun, Co. Tipperary South
This square-shaped enclosure measures 31 metres northwest to southeast by 23 metres northeast to southwest, defined by an earth and stone bank that rises up to 1.5 metres high on its outer face. The bank, which has a base width of 2.5 metres tapering to 1.3 metres at the top, is accompanied by a waterlogged outer fosse; a flat-bottomed defensive ditch that’s 5 metres wide at the top and about a metre deep.
The site takes advantage of its natural setting, with a ravine forming a natural boundary along the southeastern to southern edges, eliminating the need for artificial defences on that side. The remaining sections of the bank feature three cattle gaps, each about 2 metres wide, located at the centre of the southeast bank and at the eastern and northern corners. These gaps appear to be later agricultural modifications rather than original entrance features, as no clear medieval entrance can be identified. The outer fosse remains wet and waterlogged, preserving something of its original defensive character.
This moated site sits just 150 metres southeast of another similar monument, suggesting this area held particular significance during the medieval period. These earthwork enclosures, typically dating from the 13th to 14th centuries, were often associated with Anglo-Norman settlement patterns in Ireland. A recently constructed agricultural roadway now runs along the northern edge of the monument, though the site itself remains largely intact under grassland, compiled and documented by Jean Farrelly in August 2011.





