The photograph, catalogued as GB90.BL.33, shows the distinctive rectangular footprint of an ancient enclosure, its boundaries marked by a fosse, or defensive ditch, with an entrance opening to the north-west. What makes this discovery particularly intriguing is that it appeared as a cropmark; a phenomenon where buried archaeological features affect plant growth above them, creating patterns visible only from the air.

The site appears to be more than just an isolated structure. The aerial survey revealed an associated road system and field boundaries, suggesting this was once part of a bustling medieval landscape. Dr G.F. Barrett, who compiled the initial report in 2009, noted that classifying it as a potential moated site offers more precision than simply labelling it as another generic enclosure. Moated sites were typically built between the 13th and 14th centuries in Ireland, often serving as fortified homesteads for Anglo-Norman settlers or prosperous Irish families who adopted this architectural style.

This Loughteeog site forms part of an extensive cropmark landscape in the area, hinting at a complex pattern of medieval settlement that once thrived here. These aerial discoveries are invaluable for understanding Ireland’s medieval past, particularly in areas where surface remains have long since vanished. The Archaeological Survey of Ireland, which received this report from Caimin O’Brien in August 2010, continues to monitor and document such sites, piecing together the story of how our ancestors lived, farmed, and defended their holdings in medieval Laois.