Moated site, Borrisnoe, Co. Tipperary North
The moated site at Borrisnoe sits in wet, marshy ground at the base of a northeast-facing slope in County Tipperary North.
Moated site, Borrisnoe, Co. Tipperary North
This rectangular earthwork enclosure measures approximately 19 metres north to south and 25 metres east to west, with its defensive features still visible despite significant modern damage. The site is defined by an earthen bank, roughly 1.5 metres wide and standing up to 1.1 metres high on its external face, though the western section has been reduced to a mere scarp. An outer fosse, or defensive ditch, runs around the perimeter, measuring 2.6 metres wide and 0.6 metres deep where it survives.
Historical maps reveal how this site has changed over time. The first edition Ordnance Survey map from 1840 shows it as a small square-shaped area, whilst by the 1904 edition, the southeast side of the enclosure had been incorporated into a field boundary. This suggests the site was already being absorbed into the agricultural landscape by the early 20th century, a process that has accelerated dramatically in recent decades.
Unfortunately, modern forestry operations have taken a heavy toll on this medieval earthwork. Tree-planting machinery has badly damaged the northern bank and western scarp, whilst a trench has been cut straight through the interior from west to east. During site clearance, scrub was piled at the eastern end, and deciduous saplings were planted within the enclosure itself. Several drainage trenches excavated immediately north and west of the site have further compromised its archaeological integrity. Despite this damage, the surviving earthworks still offer a glimpse into medieval defensive architecture and land use in North Tipperary.





