The monument occupies a natural spur that juts out like a promontory, with steep river gorges providing natural defences on three sides; to the north, east and south. To complete the fortification, the builders cut a defensive ditch, or fosse, across the western and north-western approach where the promontory connects to the main ridge. This fosse measures 8.8 metres wide and roughly 2 metres deep, effectively isolating the castle site from the only accessible approach.

The ringwork takes an unusual triangular shape, measuring approximately 29 metres north to south and 37 metres from west-north-west to east-south-east. While much of the perimeter relies on the natural steep scarps for defence, the north-western side features a substantial earthen bank constructed with considerable amounts of shale. This bank stands 1.7 to 1.93 metres high when viewed from outside and has a crest width of 2.7 metres. At the base of the north-eastern slope, which drops 5 metres, there’s a narrow terrace or berm about 3.6 metres wide, followed by a stony bank that runs for 20.5 metres along the edge of another natural drop. The entrance to the ringwork, just 1.7 metres wide, was positioned in the western quadrant for maximum defensive advantage.

Today the site, known locally as ‘the old castle’, lies heavily overgrown with brambles, bracken and scrub, making detailed exploration challenging. The interior shows signs of later disturbance, including what appears to be a large pit in the south-eastern quadrant with a mound of excavated material immediately to its north. Some modern refuse has unfortunately been dumped outside the north-western section of the monument. Despite these intrusions, the ringwork remains an impressive example of how medieval builders worked with natural topography to create formidable defensive structures with minimal construction effort.