Known locally as Moat, this medieval motte has lent its name to the entire townland, standing as a testament to Norman military architecture in western Ireland. The structure consists of a substantial raised platform, roughly 73 metres northwest to southeast and 51 metres across its width, surrounded by a broad fosse and outer defensive bank that once protected whatever timber fortifications crowned its summit.

The motte’s construction shows considerable engineering skill, likely incorporating a natural rise that was then enhanced to create its distinctive tiered profile. The central spine of the platform stands 6 to 7 metres above the surrounding field level, with a flattened top measuring approximately 30 by 18 metres. From this central area, the ground drops sharply to a narrow berm before plunging down another steep scarp to ground level. At the northeastern end, the earthwork’s designers incorporated what appears to be an entrance feature; a squarish angle in the platform creates a broader, more level area here, with remnants of a causeway still visible crossing the defensive ditch, though parts of this entrance have been quarried away over the centuries.

Today, the motte presents a peaceful scene, its grass-covered slopes ringed with hawthorn and gorse, whilst sycamore and ash trees grow along the outer bank. Cultivation ridges running northeast to southwest across the platform speak to its later agricultural use, and a small, stone-studded mound on the southeastern side may represent the remains of a later structure. First recorded by historian Knox in 1911, this remarkable earthwork continues to dominate the landscape much as it would have done in medieval times, when it served as both a military stronghold and a symbol of Norman authority in Mayo.