Dating from the Anglo-Norman period, this rectangular enclosure would have been surrounded by a water-filled ditch, or moat, providing both defence and drainage for the settlement within. The site likely housed a timber hall and associated buildings, serving as the residence of a local lord or prosperous farmer during the 13th or 14th century.

These moated sites are particularly common across the fertile lands of south Leinster, where Anglo-Norman settlers established themselves following the invasion of 1169. The Brownstown example follows the typical pattern; a raised platform surrounded by a substantial ditch that would have been fed by local streams or springs. While the wooden structures have long since vanished, the earthworks remain clearly visible, particularly when viewed from above or when the low winter sun casts shadows across the field.

What makes sites like Brownstown fascinating is how they represent a middle tier of medieval society; not grand enough for stone castles but sufficiently wealthy to construct substantial earthwork defences. Archaeological evidence from similar sites has revealed everyday objects like pottery fragments, iron tools, and animal bones, painting a picture of rural life in medieval Ireland. Today, the site serves as a reminder of how densely populated and organised the Irish countryside was during the medieval period, with each moated site forming part of a network of settlements that shaped the landscape we see today.