The earthwork consists of a roughly circular mound with steep sides and a flat top, surrounded by a substantial defensive ditch (or fosse) and traces of an outer bank. Just 60 metres to the northeast lies the local church and graveyard, whilst Killagh tower house stands about 135 metres to the northwest, creating a cluster of medieval monuments that speak to the area’s strategic importance.

The motte’s defences are best preserved along its southern and western sides, where a wide, deep fosse and outer bank remain clearly visible. Interestingly, the bank diverges from the fosse at the southeast corner to enclose a larger area, possibly indicating the location of a bailey, though little evidence of this outer courtyard survives today. The site appears on the 1837 Ordnance Survey Fair Plan map, where it’s marked simply as ‘Moat’ and shown as an oval, tree-planted earthwork; a description that still rings true, as aerial photography shows the monument remains covered in trees.

First properly surveyed in 1970, the monument represents a typical example of Norman military architecture in Ireland, likely dating from the late 12th or early 13th century when these timber and earth fortifications were rapidly constructed across the country. The Archaeological Survey of Ireland has since documented the site in detail, including creating a profile drawing that reveals the impressive scale of the earthworks. Despite some modern alterations, including a gap cut through the southern bank and a later field boundary built against the outer defences, this motte and bailey remains one of Westmeath’s more substantial earthwork castles.