The rectangular earthwork, which shows up as a distinctive cropmark on satellite imagery taken in November 2011, tells the story of a fortified homestead that once stood in this quiet corner of Ireland. While the eastern section has been partially damaged by quarrying activities, the remaining earthwork still clearly defines what was once a substantial defensive structure.

Moated sites like Ballynafid were a common feature of the Irish medieval landscape, particularly from the 13th to 15th centuries. These rectangular or square enclosures, surrounded by water-filled ditches, served as defended farmsteads for Anglo-Norman settlers and wealthy Irish families. The moat itself would have been both a status symbol and a practical defence; the water barrier protected against cattle raids and unwelcome visitors whilst the raised platform inside provided a dry foundation for timber or stone buildings.

Today, the site at Ballynafid is best appreciated from above, where modern technology reveals what the naked eye might miss at ground level. The cropmark appears because the filled-in moat retains more moisture than the surrounding soil, causing crops or grass to grow differently and creating a visible outline that’s particularly clear in aerial photography. This documentation work, compiled by Frank Coyne and Caimin O’Brien in August 2017, helps preserve the memory of these medieval settlements that once dotted the Irish midlands, even as quarrying and agriculture continue to reshape the landscape around them.