This motte and bailey fortification, situated in what is now peaceful pasture land, overlooks a tributary of the Anner River that flows about 180 metres to the north. The site’s strategic position on elevated ground would have provided its medieval occupants with commanding views across the surrounding valley, whilst a modern road now runs approximately 80 metres to the west.

The motte itself is an impressive earthwork, rising between 5.4 and 6 metres high with steep sides forming an oval shape. Its summit measures 11 metres north to south and 7 metres east to west, whilst the base spans considerably wider at nearly 35 metres by 33 metres. Built directly into the natural ridge, the western side features remnants of a defensive fosse, though this ditch is now quite shallow at just 15 centimetres deep. Time and livestock have taken their toll on the structure; cattle erosion has particularly affected the eastern quadrant and lower western slopes, giving the earthwork a somewhat weathered appearance.

Adjacent to the motte, the roughly triangular bailey extends southward along the ridge, measuring 33 metres north to south and 24.5 metres at its widest point. This lower defensive enclosure cleverly utilises the natural topography, with the interior sloping eastward and the ground rising 1.7 metres on the eastern side and 1.36 metres to the west. Together, the motte and bailey create a formidable defensive complex that would have controlled this stretch of the valley during the Norman period, serving as both a military stronghold and a symbol of power in medieval Tipperary.