Moated site, Ballyhimmin, Co. Kilkenny
The moated site at Ballyhimmin sits on a natural hillock in County Kilkenny's river valley, where marshland stretches to the north, east and south whilst the western ground rises steadily upward.
Moated site, Ballyhimmin, Co. Kilkenny
A stream flows northwest to southeast along the base of a prominent ridge about 50 metres to the southwest, and the surrounding topography limits views in most directions except for an open vista running from northeast to south. Just 40 metres to the east lies a fulacht fia, one of Ireland’s ancient cooking sites, suggesting this area has been significant for centuries.
This grass-covered medieval earthwork makes clever use of the natural hillock, creating a raised platform roughly 45 metres north to south and 38 metres east to west. The site’s defences consist of three distinct elements: an inner scarp standing 1.15 to 1.25 metres high with a width of 4.5 to 5 metres; a surrounding fosse or defensive ditch that varies between 2.2 and 3.8 metres wide; and an outer bank that’s most prominent on the southern and eastern sides, measuring about 6.7 metres in total width. According to the landowner, the fosse was once considerably more impressive, reaching depths of about 1.8 metres along the northern and western sides before centuries of infilling reduced it to its current state, with some sections, particularly on the west, now completely obscured.
The site’s builders demonstrated sophisticated water management skills, diverting water from the upslope stream to the west through a leat that fed into the northwest corner of the fosse, whilst another leat in the southeast angle served as an outlet. The probable entrance was positioned on the western side, allowing access from the dry, rising ground outside. Within the interior, a raised area measuring approximately 18 metres north to south and 10.5 metres east to west likely marks the location of the medieval hall, though quarrying activity has damaged the northern edge of the monument, leaving an irregular steep face about 12 metres south of the fosse. The western edge has also suffered, now forming a gentle slope that runs over where the fosse once lay.