This square enclosure, measuring approximately 29 metres on each side with distinctive rounded corners, was once a significant feature of the local landscape. Historical maps from 1839 and 1900 clearly mark its presence, though today visitors would struggle to spot any trace of it at ground level.

The site originally consisted of a flat platform protected by an impressive defensive system; two earthen banks with a dry fosse, or ditch, running between them. This type of fortification was typical of medieval Ireland, where local landowners constructed moated sites to protect their homesteads and assert their status in the community. The double-bank design would have provided formidable defence against raiders whilst also serving as a clear statement of the owner’s wealth and influence in the area.

Unfortunately, much of the site’s archaeological integrity was compromised in 1973 when levelling work destroyed the visible earthworks that historian Barry had documented just a few years earlier in 1977. Despite this loss, the location remains an important piece of Kilkenny’s medieval heritage, offering insights into how the Anglo-Norman settlers and their descendants shaped the Irish countryside. The site’s position on sloping ground, rather than the more typical flat terrain chosen for such structures, suggests its builders prioritised other factors, perhaps visibility across the valley or proximity to water sources, when selecting this particular spot.