The rectangular enclosure measures approximately 33 metres from north-northwest to south-southeast and 25 metres from north-northeast to south-southwest, surrounded by what would have been a water-filled ditch, or fosse. Today, these defensive earthworks are barely visible at ground level, their outlines softened by centuries of agricultural use and natural erosion.

Moated sites like this one were typically constructed during the Anglo-Norman period, from the late 12th to the 14th centuries, serving as fortified homesteads for lesser nobility and wealthy tenants. The fosse would have been both a defensive feature and a status symbol, requiring considerable resources to excavate and maintain. The water barrier protected the central platform where timber or stone buildings would have stood, housing the family, their servants, and valuable goods. These sites represent an important phase in Irish medieval settlement, marking the spread of Anglo-Norman influence into the rural landscape.

The identification of this particular site through modern mapping technology highlights how much of Ireland’s medieval heritage remains hidden in plain sight. While grand castles and abbeys draw visitors’ attention, these smaller defensive sites tell the story of everyday life in medieval Ireland; the farmers, merchants, and minor lords who shaped the countryside we see today. Local knowledge, such as that provided by Joanna Leigh in 2015, combined with aerial photography, continues to reveal these forgotten pieces of Ireland’s past, adding detail to our understanding of medieval settlement patterns across South Tipperary.