This moated site at Baile Mhistéil measures roughly 21 metres from northeast to southwest and 20 metres from northwest to southeast, encompassing a grass-covered area that would have once protected a dwelling or small settlement. The earthen banks that define this space rise between 0.3 and 0.5 metres on the interior side, whilst reaching 0.7 to 0.8 metres in height when viewed from outside; their bases span an impressive 4.2 to 5.5 metres wide.

What makes this site particularly interesting is its outer defensive feature: a fosse or moat that still traces the perimeter of the earthworks. These water-filled ditches, measuring 4 to 4.5 metres across at the top and narrowing to less than a metre at the base, would have provided an additional layer of security for whoever lived within. Though time has weathered the site considerably, with much of its visible profile having disappeared by the year 2000, the basic structure remains legible in the landscape. An old quarry pit in the moat along the southwestern side hints at later disturbance, and whilst no clear entrance can be identified today, medieval moated sites typically featured a single causeway or bridge for access.

The site’s position on slightly elevated ground about 250 metres east of the river would have been carefully chosen, offering good drainage whilst maintaining proximity to water. These moated sites, found throughout the Irish midlands, were typically constructed between the 13th and 14th centuries by Anglo-Norman settlers or Gaelicised families seeking to establish fortified farmsteads in what was often contested territory.