The site is defined by a complex system of earthen banks and ditches that would have once provided formidable defences. An internal bank rises about 0.8 metres from the interior and a metre from the outside, running from north to east-northeast, whilst a scarped edge continues the circuit. Beyond this lies a fosse, or defensive ditch, with an external bank that reaches 1.7 metres in height on its inner face.

The earthworks show signs of later modifications and use; most notably, a limekiln was built directly into the inner face of the external bank at the northwest corner. This practical addition suggests the site continued to serve the local community long after its defensive purpose had passed. The northwest corner of the interior has been quarried away over time, leaving a north-south ridge running through the middle of the enclosed area. At the eastern side, an earthen bank crosses the fosse to connect with the internal defences, creating an unusual feature in the overall design.

Archaeological records identify this as a moated site, one of many medieval defensive homesteads that once dotted the Irish landscape. These sites, typically dating from the 13th to 14th centuries, were often the fortified homes of Anglo-Norman settlers or wealthy Irish families. The presence of both internal and external banks, along with the fosse, indicates this was a site of some importance, carefully designed to protect its inhabitants whilst also displaying their status in the medieval social hierarchy.