Moated site, Camolin, Co. Wexford
In the flat valley bottom of County Wexford, where the River Bann flows northeast to southwest, lies the remnants of a medieval moated site near Camolin.
Moated site, Camolin, Co. Wexford
This rectangular enclosure, measuring approximately 46 metres northwest to southeast and 40 metres northeast to southwest, sits just west of the river stream. What makes this site particularly intriguing is its defensive features; the eastern and southern sides were protected by either a double bank system or a wide moat, clearly visible on the 1839 Ordnance Survey six-inch map.
Today, visitors to the site will find a slightly sunken, grass-covered rectangular area that hints at its former significance. The outline of this ancient structure remains visible from above, appearing as a cropmark in aerial photographs taken by the Cambridge University Collection. These ghostly impressions in the landscape reveal the footprint of what was likely a fortified homestead, typical of the Anglo-Norman settlements that dotted the Irish countryside during the medieval period.
The moated site represents a common form of medieval rural settlement in Ireland, particularly in the eastern counties. These rectangular enclosures, surrounded by water-filled ditches, served both defensive and status purposes; they protected their inhabitants whilst simultaneously displaying their social standing. The Camolin site, with its strategic position in the Bann valley, would have commanded views across the surrounding farmland, making it an ideal location for a medieval manor or farmstead.





