The site consists of an earthen bank that rises 0.4 metres on its inner side and 0.5 metres on the outer, completely enclosing the central area except for an original entrance on the eastern side. Surrounding this defensive bank runs a fosse, or water-filled ditch, that remains waterlogged to this day and reaches depths of around one metre. Whilst there are breaks in the western and southern sections of the bank, these were noted by archaeologist Hartnett in 1939 as being definitely recent additions rather than part of the original medieval design.

These types of moated sites were typically constructed during the Anglo-Norman period in Ireland, roughly between the 12th and 14th centuries, and served as fortified farmsteads for colonising settlers. The square or rectangular platform created by the bank and fosse would have originally held timber buildings, providing both a defensive position and a statement of authority in the landscape. The waterlogged fosse served a dual purpose; it provided defence against attack whilst also draining the central platform to create drier living conditions for the inhabitants.

The Ballyhank site represents one of many such earthworks scattered across the Irish countryside, particularly in areas of Anglo-Norman settlement. These monuments offer tangible evidence of medieval life and the complex patterns of colonisation that shaped Ireland’s landscape. The site’s details were formally recorded in the Archaeological Inventory of County Cork, Volume 3, published in 1997, with updates added in 2009 to reflect ongoing archaeological research in the region.