First mentioned in historical records around 1210-13, this Anglo-Norman stronghold occupies a commanding position atop a circular platform that was cleverly fashioned from the natural ridge. The summit measures approximately 63 metres east to west and 62 metres north to south, whilst the base extends to 102 metres by 88 metres, creating an imposing defensive structure defined by steep scarps on all sides.

The castle’s defences were carefully engineered to maximise the site’s natural advantages. A wide fosse, or defensive ditch, measuring 5 metres across and reaching depths of up to 4 metres below the platform level, cuts the fortification off from the rest of the ridge at its eastern approach. This ditch extends around to form narrow terraces along the northern and southern flanks, varying in width from 2 to 6 metres. Faint traces of an earthen bank, now barely 30 centimetres high in places, can still be detected around the western, northern and eastern edges of the platform, suggesting additional defensive works that have weathered over the centuries.

The most striking feature is the stone castle or gatehouse at the western end of the platform, which controlled access to the interior of the ringwork in a manner similar to Castle Kevin in the same county. A 5-metre-wide causeway lies directly opposite the entrance, with what appears to be a cobbled approach fanning out towards the castle angles, its edges defined by settings of small stones. Aerial photographs have revealed cropmarks of a semi-circular ditch that may indicate the presence of an outer bailey, adding another layer to our understanding of this complex medieval site. The combination of natural topography and human engineering created a formidable defensive position that controlled this part of medieval Wicklow for centuries.