This defensive earthwork, likely dating from the 13th or 14th century, consists of a raised rectangular platform surrounded by a water-filled ditch or moat. Such sites were typically constructed by Anglo-Norman settlers or wealthy Gaelic families as fortified homesteads, providing protection whilst asserting control over the surrounding landscape.

The moat itself would have been a formidable barrier, measuring several metres wide and deep enough to deter casual raiders. The raised platform at its centre, now covered in grass and vegetation, would have supported timber buildings; perhaps a hall house, outbuildings, and a defensive palisade. Archaeological evidence from similar sites across Ireland suggests these structures served multiple purposes: residential quarters for the landowner’s family, storage for agricultural produce, and a secure base from which to manage the estate.

Today, the site stands as a subtle but significant monument to medieval life in Mayo. Though the timber structures have long since vanished, the earthworks remain remarkably well preserved, their banks and ditches still clearly defined despite centuries of weathering. For those interested in Ireland’s medieval heritage, this moated site represents a tangible connection to an era when the Irish countryside was dotted with such fortified farmsteads, each one a small centre of power in an often unsettled world.