Moated site, Coolateggart, Co. Wexford
Deep in the countryside of County Wexford lies the remnants of a medieval moated site at Coolateggart, a rectangular earthwork that speaks to centuries of Irish history.
Moated site, Coolateggart, Co. Wexford
The site occupies a valley where a small stream flows east to west through what was once the northern moat. Today, visitors will find a scrub-covered rectangular platform measuring 26 metres east to west and 23.5 metres north to south, enclosed by slight banks that rise about 30 centimetres above the interior ground level.
The defining feature of this archaeological site is its surrounding moat system, which once provided both defence and drainage for whatever structure stood here during medieval times. These flat-bottomed ditches vary considerably in their dimensions; the top width ranges from 6.5 to 8.5 metres whilst the base narrows to between 2.4 and 5.2 metres. The moats themselves reach depths of 0.6 to 1.4 metres on the interior side and 1.4 to 2.1 metres on the exterior, with the northern moat still carrying water from the stream that runs through it at a width of 2.4 metres and depth of 2.2 metres.
What makes Coolateggart particularly intriguing is the absence of any visible entrance or causeway, suggesting that access to the site may have been more complex than a simple bridge or earthen crossing. The interior shows subtle variations in elevation, with the northern section sitting slightly higher than the southern part, possibly indicating different uses for these areas or the remnants of internal structures long since vanished. Such moated sites typically date from the 13th to 15th centuries and were often associated with Anglo-Norman settlement patterns, serving as fortified farmsteads or minor manor houses during a turbulent period in Irish history.





