These marks, which show up as variations in crop growth patterns during certain weather conditions, hint at buried archaeological features beneath the soil. Whilst nothing remains visible at ground level today, the aerial evidence captured in photographs from the Geological Survey of Ireland suggests this was once the site of significant human activity.

The enclosure’s rectangular shape and location point to it possibly being a moated site, a type of medieval settlement particularly common in Ireland between the 13th and 17th centuries. These sites typically consisted of a raised platform surrounded by a water-filled ditch or moat, upon which stood a timber or stone house along with various outbuildings. The moat served both defensive and status purposes, marking out the residence of a prosperous farming family, often of Anglo-Norman descent or Gaelicised settlers who adopted this architectural style.

Though time and agriculture have erased all surface traces of this particular site, its discovery through aerial photography demonstrates how modern technology continues to reveal Ireland’s hidden medieval landscape. Such cropmarks form when buried ditches, walls, or other archaeological features affect the growth of crops above them; ancient ditches retain more moisture and produce lusher growth, whilst stone foundations create drier conditions and stunted plants. This subtle difference, invisible from the ground but clear from the air, allows archaeologists to map settlements that vanished centuries ago.