The site, measuring 35 metres east to west and 31 metres north to south, is defined by a low grassy bank that rises just 20 centimetres on the inside but drops 70 centimetres on the outer edge. A shallow fosse, or defensive ditch, runs around the perimeter, varying between 4.5 and 6 metres wide though only 40 centimetres deep. From the northwest corner, a shallow channel extends northward, likely once carrying water to fill the surrounding moat.

This type of fortified farmstead, known as a moated site, was typically built by Anglo-Norman settlers between the 13th and 14th centuries. These weren’t grand castles but rather defended homesteads where colonist families could farm whilst maintaining some protection from raids. The level interior shows traces of subdivision, with a faint earthen bank running north to south just east of centre, suggesting the space was organised for different purposes; perhaps separating living quarters from agricultural storage or livestock areas.

Local tradition holds that a church once stood within the enclosure, and there’s certainly evidence of a building platform that could mark a former house site. While the church theory remains unproven, it wouldn’t be unusual for such sites to evolve over time, with later communities repurposing these defensive earthworks for religious or domestic buildings. The site’s preservation is remarkable enough that it remains clearly visible from aerial photography, offering modern visitors a chance to trace the footsteps of medieval settlers who once called this corner of Kildare home.