The site first caught the attention of researchers through cropmarks spotted on aerial photographs taken by the Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photography in the late 20th century. These telltale signs in the crops trace out a square enclosure measuring approximately 40 metres across, defined by a distinctive double ditch system that would have once held water as a defensive barrier.

This type of fortified homestead was particularly common in medieval Ireland, especially in the Anglo-Norman territories of the eastern counties. The double ditches suggest this was no ordinary farmstead; rather, it likely belonged to a family of some local importance during the 13th or 14th century. Moated sites like this one served multiple purposes, providing defence against raids, displaying the owner’s status, and managing water for agricultural purposes. The square shape and double ditch configuration are classic features of these settlements, which often included a central platform where the main residence and outbuildings would have stood.

Today, nothing remains visible above ground at Ballinacarrig, but the cropmarks continue to tell their story from above. Different growth patterns in the crops reveal where the ancient ditches lie buried, as plants grow differently over disturbed soil and old waterlogged features. Modern technology has made these hidden remnants more accessible than ever; the site can be viewed on historical Ordnance Survey Ireland orthophotographic maps, offering armchair archaeologists a chance to explore this lost piece of Ireland’s medieval past from their own homes.