Moated site, Dalystown, Co. Westmeath
In the flat pastureland east of Dalystown, County Westmeath, the faint traces of a medieval moated site emerge from the landscape.
Moated site, Dalystown, Co. Westmeath
This rectangular earthwork, measuring approximately 35 metres east to west and 26 metres north to south, sits adjacent to wet, marshy ground that likely provided a natural water source for its defensive moat centuries ago. Though time and agriculture have softened its features, the site remains visible as a cropmark in aerial photography, revealing the ghostly outline of what was once a fortified homestead.
The monument consists of a low earthen bank that originally enclosed the entire rectangular area, with the western side being the best preserved section today. The northern, eastern and southern portions have been reduced to little more than a scarp, punctuated by several gaps where the bank has been breached over time. Traces of an external fosse, or defensive ditch, can still be detected, particularly along the western and southern sides where the earthwork has survived more intact. This fosse would have originally been filled with water, creating a moat that gave these sites their name and provided both defence and status to their medieval occupants.
At the heart of the enclosure, archaeologists have identified what may be the remains of a dwelling; a roughly rectangular feature that could represent the foundation of a medieval hut or house. First recorded on the 1913 Ordnance Survey map as a trapezoidal earthwork, the site was surveyed in detail in 1983 and continues to offer insights into medieval settlement patterns in the Irish midlands. These moated sites, typically dating from the 13th to 14th centuries, were often home to Anglo-Norman settlers or prosperous Irish families who adopted this defensive architectural style during a turbulent period of Irish history.