This square earthwork, measuring 24 metres on each side, represents a type of fortified settlement that became popular in Ireland during the 13th and 14th centuries, particularly in areas of Anglo-Norman influence. The site’s defensive features remain remarkably legible in the landscape: a substantial earthen bank, 3.2 metres wide and rising 0.4 metres above the interior, forms the primary enclosure, though erosion has claimed portions of the eastern and southern sections where only a scarped edge now marks the boundary.

What makes this site particularly interesting is its sophisticated defensive design, featuring multiple layers of protection typical of medieval moated sites. Beyond the main bank lies a broad, flat-bottomed fosse or ditch, nearly 6 metres wide, which would have been water-filled when the site was occupied. Outside this wet moat, the builders constructed an additional low earthen bank, 3.6 metres wide and standing 1.2 metres high, creating a formidable obstacle for any would-be attackers. Though this outer bank has disappeared along the eastern and southern sides, the outer edge of the fosse remains visible, allowing visitors to trace the site’s original footprint.

The original entrance can still be identified on the west-northwest side, where aligned breaks in both the inner bank (2.6 metres wide) and outer bank (2.8 metres wide) mark where a causeway once crossed the defensive ditch. These moated sites served various purposes in medieval Ireland; some housed manor houses of Anglo-Norman lords or prosperous Irish families, whilst others protected agricultural stores or served as administrative centres. The Cloonderry example, recorded by Patrick F. O’Donovan in 2011, stands as a well-preserved reminder of how medieval communities shaped the Irish landscape to meet their needs for both security and status.