Moated site, Cloghaready, Co. Tipperary South
In the gently rolling pastures of Cloghaready, County Tipperary South, a fascinating medieval earthwork complex reveals itself to those who know where to look.
Moated site, Cloghaready, Co. Tipperary South
The site consists of multiple interconnected features including two moated sites and an ancient trackway, all preserved in the rural landscape. The main enclosure forms a slightly raised rectangular platform measuring 36 metres northwest to southeast and 32 metres northeast to southwest, protected by an ingenious system of defensive earthworks that would have been formidable in their day.
The defensive arrangement is particularly well preserved along most of its perimeter, featuring an inner earthen bank that rises just 30 centimetres above the interior but stands an impressive 1.1 metres high when viewed from outside. This bank, with its flat top spanning 2.2 metres, is separated from an outer defensive bank by a broad-bottomed fosse, or ditch, that would have once held water or served as an additional obstacle to unwanted visitors. The outer bank, though lower than its inner counterpart at 80 centimetres on the inside face, adds another layer to this sophisticated defensive system. Together, these earthworks create a formidable barrier nearly 6 metres wide on the inner circuit and almost 5 metres on the outer.
Time and agricultural activity have modified parts of the original structure; the southeastern side now follows a modern drainage ditch, whilst portions of the western section have been incorporated into later field boundaries. However, the original entrance remains clearly visible towards the northwest end of the northeast side, marked by a 3.5 metre gap in the inner bank with a slight causeway crossing the fosse, and a corresponding 6 metre break in the outer bank. Just 8 metres from this entrance, an ancient trackway begins its journey northeast to southwest, connecting this moated site to the wider medieval landscape and its neighbouring earthwork. The interior remains level and clear, offering visitors an unobstructed view of what was likely once a defended homestead of some local importance during the medieval period.





