Castle - ringwork, Burgage More, Co. Wicklow
On the edge of Blessington Reservoir in County Wicklow sits a circular earthwork that tells a story of medieval fortification and adaptation.
Castle - ringwork, Burgage More, Co. Wicklow
This castle ringwork occupies a gentle slope facing south and southwest, where the modern reservoir has gradually crept up from the south and southeast sides, washing away some of the original defensive features. The site consists of a circular area measuring 52 metres across, though at its widest point it extends to 85 metres, defined by a substantial earthen bank that stands between one and one and a half metres high with a width of six metres.
The defensive architecture follows a classic ringwork pattern with multiple layers of protection. Beyond the main bank lies an external fosse, or defensive ditch, that runs around most of the perimeter; only the southern section has been lost to erosion from the reservoir waters. This ditch varies in depth from half a metre to over one and a half metres and spans nine metres wide. Outside the fosse, from the west around to the north-northeast, stands an outer counterscarp bank of similar width, rising between one and nearly two metres in height. This triple defensive arrangement of bank, ditch, and outer bank would have presented a formidable obstacle to any medieval attacker.
Limited archaeological excavation in 1943 by R.A.S. Macalister revealed glimpses of daily life within the fortification. The dig uncovered two hearths and a simple stone-lined drainage gully, suggesting domestic occupation rather than purely military use. Curiously, no obvious entrance has been identified, leaving questions about how the inhabitants accessed this well-defended space. The site at Burgage More represents a typical Anglo-Norman ringwork castle, likely dating from the 12th or 13th century when such fortifications were common across the Irish landscape as the new arrivals sought to secure their territorial claims.





