The excavation revealed an almost square enclosure, measuring 50 metres long by 45 metres wide, surrounded by a substantial ditch that was 5 to 6 metres wide and 2 metres deep. The site’s builders had included a stone-lined causeway entrance in the southwest corner, suggesting this was a carefully planned defensive structure rather than a simple agricultural enclosure.

The interior of the site tells a complex story of medieval life. A shallow ditch ran around the central area and contained significant deposits of animal bone, including a complete horse skull; perhaps evidence of feasting or ritual activity. The northern section revealed traces of daily life, with archaeologists identifying internal ditches, what appears to have been a circular structure, and the remnants of a possible rectangular house. Just beyond the main enclosure to the north, excavators found an intricate series of wide ditches similar in size to the main defensive ditch, whilst to the east they discovered what may have been a sunken house, a type of dwelling partially built below ground level.

The sheer quantity of animal bones found throughout the site speaks to its importance as a centre of activity, whether as a fortified farmstead, a manor house, or perhaps a site of local administration. The later use of the site as a burial ground adds another layer to its history, showing how these medieval landscapes were continually reimagined and repurposed by subsequent generations. Today, this remarkable discovery helps us understand how medieval communities in Kildare organised their settlements, defended their resources, and lived their daily lives within these carefully constructed enclosures.