Moated site, Ballynacroghy, Co. Westmeath
Situated on a south-southeast facing slope, this moated site in Ballynacroghy, County Westmeath occupies a modest rise overlooking wet, rushy grassland.
Moated site, Ballynacroghy, Co. Westmeath
The location offers expansive views across the countryside to the southwest and west, whilst a ringfort sits just 20 metres to the northwest. The townland boundary with Ballyhoreen runs a mere 5 metres to the south of the monument.
The site itself is relatively small and rectangular, measuring 11 metres from north to south and 13.5 metres from east to west. It’s defined by a low earthen bank with a shallow external fosse, or defensive ditch, running around the perimeter. These earthwork features represent a type of medieval settlement that was once common across Ireland, typically dating from the Anglo-Norman period onwards.
Today, the earthen bank survives best along the stretch from northeast to southwest, whilst the external fosse is most clearly visible on the northwestern side. These subtle remains might be easy to overlook in the landscape, but they mark what was likely once a defended homestead; a place where a family of some local standing would have lived, farmed, and managed their holdings in medieval Westmeath. The proximity to the earlier ringfort suggests this area has been favoured for settlement across multiple periods of Irish history.