This medieval ringwork fortress, dating back to at least 1200 when the manor of Buolick was held by Mannaseur Arsic, represents one of the area’s most significant Norman defensive structures. By 1307, records show the manor had passed to John Assyk, suggesting the site remained strategically important throughout the medieval period.

The ringwork itself is an impressive feat of defensive engineering, consisting of a high central mound surrounded by a formidable bank measuring 6.5 metres wide and rising 5.5 metres on its exterior face. A deep fosse, or defensive ditch, encircles the structure, plunging to depths of 10 metres in places, whilst a substantial outer bank of stoney gravel provides an additional line of defence, particularly prominent on the southern approach where it follows the natural slope of the ridge. Today, nature has reclaimed much of the site; sloe and blackthorn bushes have colonised the southwestern and southeastern sections of the fosse, whilst the interior, though relatively level, hosts several badger setts amongst the elder and moss that carpet the ground.

Archaeological evidence suggests the presence of a triangular bailey area extending roughly 49 metres north to south and 30 metres east to west on the northern side of the ringwork. This auxiliary defensive space, defined by a scarp, fosse and round-topped bank running northeast to southwest for about 100 metres, would have provided additional protection and functional space for the fortress’s inhabitants. The terrain within this possible bailey drops significantly, falling two metres over its northern extent, creating a naturally defensive position that the Norman builders expertly incorporated into their design.