Moated site, Bardanstown, Co. Westmeath

Moated site, Bardanstown, Co. Westmeath

The remains of a medieval moated site sit on a gentle rise in the poorly drained grasslands of Bardanstown, County Westmeath, with the Inny River flowing just 100 metres to the east.

Moated site, Bardanstown, Co. Westmeath

This square earthwork, measuring approximately 36 metres across, consists of a substantial earthen bank with an external fosse, or defensive ditch, that once provided protection for whatever structure stood within. A small stream marking the townland boundary with Rathclittagh runs only 10 metres to the north, whilst another possible moated site lies 155 metres to the north-northwest, suggesting this area may have been home to multiple defensive settlements during the medieval period.

The earthwork shows varying states of preservation around its perimeter; the southwestern bank remains the most intact, whilst the northwestern section has been almost completely levelled over time. The northeastern and southeastern sides appear to have been modified, becoming narrower and steeper than their original construction, possibly through agricultural activity or natural erosion. The defensive fosse that once surrounded the site has been filled in along the western and northern sides, though traces of its original extent remain visible elsewhere.



The interior of the monument slopes gently from west-southwest to east-southeast and features a distinctive saucer-shaped depression at its centre, which may indicate the location of former buildings or water collection. Faint traces of broad cultivation ridges running west-northwest to east-southeast across the interior suggest the site was repurposed for agriculture after its abandonment as a defensive structure. These ridge patterns, known as lazy beds, were commonly used in Ireland for growing potatoes and other crops, particularly in areas with poor drainage.

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Bardanstown, Co. Westmeath
53.62053596, -7.53582731
53.62053596,-7.53582731
Bardanstown 
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