The church itself sits atop an impressive man-made mound, roughly 18 metres across at its summit from north to south and 14 metres from east to west. This earthen platform, which broadens to about 25 metres at its base, varies in height from 2 metres on the western side to between 4 and 6 metres elsewhere. The graveyard wall traces a neat circuit around the base of this artificial hill, creating a distinct boundary between the sacred space and the world beyond.

The site’s proximity to the River Boyne, with a north to south section of the stream running approximately 80 metres to the east, would have provided both practical and strategic advantages to its medieval builders. This type of raised church platform, known as a motte, represents a fascinating blend of Norman military architecture and religious function; a dual purpose that speaks to the complex political and spiritual landscape of medieval Ireland.

Archaeological records from County Meath’s official inventory, first published in 1987 and updated as recently as 2016, confirm the site’s significance as part of Ireland’s medieval heritage. The careful construction of the mound, with its deliberately flattened top and steep sides, demonstrates the considerable effort and resources invested by the community that built it, likely sometime in the 12th or 13th century when Norman influence was reshaping the Irish countryside.