The hillock’s defensive position and the substantial wall suggest it could well have served as a stronghold, but the absence of any castle on the Down Survey maps from 1656-8 raises questions about whether a fortification ever stood here, or if it had already vanished by the mid-17th century.

What makes this site particularly intriguing are the medieval architectural fragments found in the nearby farm buildings. These include several pieces of dressed stone from the late medieval period, with one bearing the date 1574. Among the most significant finds is the spandrel from a two-light ogee-headed window, a sophisticated architectural element typical of tower houses from this era. Another stone displays the coat of arms of the de Verduns and Plunkets, two prominent families in medieval Louth; the de Verduns were Anglo-Norman lords who held substantial lands in the county from the 12th century, whilst the Plunkets emerged as influential landowners in the later medieval period.

These architectural fragments almost certainly came from a tower house that once stood in the vicinity, possibly on the hillock itself or somewhere nearby in the townland. The quality of the stonework, particularly the ogee-headed window and heraldic carving, indicates this was a residence of some status, befitting families like the de Verduns and Plunkets. Whether these stones came from the mysterious castle of local tradition or from another structure entirely remains an open question, adding another layer to the archaeological puzzle of Clinton Rath.