he photographs, catalogued as GB91.DW.21 and 22, revealed the ghostly outline of a rectangular enclosure etched into the landscape as a cropmark. These marks, visible only from above when crops grow differently over buried archaeological features, showed a structure defined by a fosse, or defensive ditch, with what appeared to be an entrance facing southwest.

Further aerial photography in 1995 confirmed Barrett’s initial observations and provided additional detail about the site. The rectangular shape and surrounding ditch strongly suggest this was once a moated site; a type of medieval settlement particularly popular in Ireland between the 13th and 15th centuries. These sites typically consisted of a platform surrounded by a water-filled ditch, which served both defensive and status purposes. The moat would have enclosed a residence, likely belonging to a local lord or wealthy farmer who could afford such an elaborate construction.

While the exact history of this particular moated site remains unclear, its discovery adds to our understanding of medieval settlement patterns in County Kildare. The cropmarks serve as a reminder that beneath Ireland’s modern agricultural landscape lies centuries of hidden history, waiting to be revealed by the right conditions and a keen aerial eye. Barrett’s findings, compiled and uploaded to archaeological records in December 2011, ensure this medieval site won’t be forgotten, even if its physical remains are no longer visible at ground level.