Moated site, Kellistown East, Co. Carlow

Moated site, Kellistown East, Co. Carlow

From above, the fields of Kellistown East in County Carlow reveal a fascinating glimpse into medieval Ireland.

Moated site, Kellistown East, Co. Carlow

Aerial photographs have captured the ghostly outline of a large rectangular enclosure, its boundaries marked by cropmarks that trace the remnants of a substantial earthen bank and an outer defensive ditch, or fosse. These features are characteristic of a moated site, a type of medieval settlement that once dotted the Irish countryside.

Moated sites like this one typically date from the 13th to 14th centuries, when Anglo-Norman settlers established fortified farmsteads across Ireland. The broad bank would have been topped with a wooden palisade or hedge, whilst the water-filled fosse served as both a defensive barrier and a status symbol. Inside the enclosure, there would have been a timber hall or stone building, along with various outbuildings for livestock, storage, and daily agricultural activities.

Today, nothing visible remains on the ground at Kellistown East; centuries of ploughing have levelled the earthworks completely. Yet when conditions are just right, usually during dry spells when crops grow differently over buried features, the ancient boundaries emerge in aerial photographs as darker or lighter patches in the fields. These cropmarks serve as a reminder that beneath Ireland’s pastoral landscape lies a complex medieval past, preserved not in stone ruins but in the very soil itself.

0.0/5

Good to Know

Tags

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of Pete
Pete
I like knowing about my local area, and helping others to learn about theirs too. If you'd like to contribute to this website, please get in touch.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Moated site, Kellistown East, Co. Carlow. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 50 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.
Kellistown East, Co. Carlow
52.80486205, -6.83941179
52.80486205,-6.83941179
Kellistown East 
Castle Features 

Related Places