This small, bowl-shaped mound rises between 3.6 and 4 metres high, with a flat top measuring 16.5 metres across and a base diameter of approximately 30 metres. Built from earth and gravel, the structure is now heavily overgrown with vegetation on its northwestern and south-southwestern sides, where a defining scarp marks its edges.

This motte represents a type of fortification introduced to Ireland by the Anglo-Normans in the late 12th century. Unlike many similar structures, this example shows no evidence of a surrounding fosse, or defensive ditch, at its base. The motte would originally have supported a wooden tower or palisade on its summit, serving as both a defensive stronghold and a symbol of Norman authority in the region. Its strategic positioning on elevated ground would have provided early warning of approaching threats whilst asserting dominance over the surrounding territory.

Just 90 metres to the north-northeast lie the ruins of a medieval church and its associated graveyard, suggesting this was once a significant settlement site. The proximity of these religious and military structures reflects the typical Norman pattern of establishing both secular and ecclesiastical control in newly conquered territories. Together, they paint a picture of medieval Powerstown as a place where military might and religious authority worked hand in hand to maintain order in Norman Ireland.