This steep-sided, flat-topped earthen mound stands out clearly in Google Earth photographs and Digital Globe aerial photos from 2017, offering a bird’s eye view of what ground-level visitors might easily miss. The summit of the mound shows intriguing traces of what appear to be wall footings, suggesting the remains of a timber or stone structure that once crowned this defensive earthwork.

Motte castles were a common sight across Ireland following the Anglo-Norman invasion of the 12th century. These fortifications consisted of a raised earth mound, typically between 5 and 10 metres high, topped with a wooden palisade and tower. The Templanstown example follows this classic design, with its characteristically steep sides that would have made any assault extremely difficult. The flat summit would have provided space for a wooden keep or later stone structure, from which the surrounding landscape could be monitored and controlled.

What makes this site particularly fascinating is how modern technology has brought its features into sharp focus. While vegetation and centuries of erosion have softened the motte’s appearance at ground level, aerial photography reveals the precise geometric form of the original construction. The possible wall footings visible on the summit hint at the site’s evolution over time; perhaps a stone structure replaced the original timber defences, or these marks represent the foundations of the original wooden tower. This bird’s eye perspective, documented by researcher Jean-Charles Caillère and compiled by Caimin O’Brien in 2020, demonstrates how satellite imagery continues to enhance our understanding of Ireland’s medieval landscape.