Covering at least three hectares and bounded by a stream along its western edge, these remains consist of low banks, rectangular enclosures, and what appear to be hut sites; all that’s left of what was once ‘Ballintur towne’. The site sits on grassland, with Kilmacnevan church located 600 metres to the southeast and a ringfort just 60 metres to the northwest, placing it within a landscape rich with archaeological features.

Historical maps provide fascinating glimpses into this vanished community. The 17th century Down Survey maps, drawn between 1654 and 1659, show the settlement as a cluster of dwellings marked as ‘Ballintur towne’ on the Moygoish barony map. Interestingly, the parish map of Kilmacnevan depicts a castle standing beside these dwellings, though by the time the survey was conducted, the terrier recorded that this Ballintue Castle had been recently destroyed and was ‘lately ruinous’. Despite these detailed historical records, archaeologists haven’t yet pinpointed the exact location of the castle ruins, though it’s clear it’s not the same structure as another castle site marked on the 1837 Ordnance Survey map about 1.1 kilometres north-northwest of the settlement.

The name confusion adds another layer to the site’s history; whilst the modern townland is called Kilmacnevan, the Down Survey maps clearly show this area was known as Ballintur or Ballintue in the 17th century. Today, visitors to the site can walk amongst these ancient earthworks, tracing the outlines of long-abandoned homes and enclosures that once formed a thriving community, complete with its own castle, in medieval Westmeath.