This rectangular enclosure, measuring approximately 33 metres across, appears as a cropmark visible only from above; a shadow of history etched into the modern farmland. The site was first properly documented when eagle-eyed researcher Jean-Charles Caillère spotted it on Google Earth imagery from January 2020, though Digital Globe orthophotos from 2011-13 had already captured its distinctive outline.

Moated sites like this one were once common features of the medieval Irish countryside, particularly during the 13th and 14th centuries when Anglo-Norman settlers established fortified farmsteads across Leinster. These rectangular or square enclosures, surrounded by water-filled ditches, served both defensive and status purposes; the moats protected against raids whilst simultaneously declaring the owner’s wealth and importance. The Parsonstown example likely housed a timber hall or stone building at its centre, with the moat providing security for both the residence and its associated agricultural buildings.

Today, centuries after its abandonment, the site exists only as a cropmark, visible when growing conditions are just right. During dry spells, crops growing above the filled-in moat struggle for water, whilst those above the compacted interior ground flourish, creating the tell-tale rectangular pattern that caught Caillère’s attention. This archaeological feature, compiled into official records by Caimin O’Brien in November 2020, stands as a reminder of how medieval settlements once dotted this landscape, their presence now detectable only through careful observation and modern technology.