Moated site, Darranstown, Co. Limerick
In the reclaimed grasslands of Darranstown, County Limerick, aerial photography has revealed the ghostly outline of a medieval moated site.
Moated site, Darranstown, Co. Limerick
The square enclosure, measuring approximately 40 metres north to south and 39 metres east to west, appears as a cropmark in various orthophotos taken between 2011 and 2019. These marks, visible from above but barely perceptible at ground level, trace the boundaries of what was once a defensive scarp and fosse; a raised bank and ditch system that would have protected whatever structure stood within.
The site sits in grassland with a stream running about 75 metres to the east, a location that would have provided both a water source and additional natural defence for its medieval inhabitants. Moated sites like this one were typically built between the 13th and 14th centuries, often serving as fortified farmsteads for Anglo-Norman settlers or prosperous Irish families. The square shape and modest dimensions suggest this was likely a domestic rather than military installation, possibly housing a manor house or farm buildings within its protective earthworks.
What makes this site particularly interesting is how modern technology has brought it back into view. The cropmarks show up clearly in Digital Globe orthophotos from 2011 to 2013, OSi orthoimages, and Google Earth imagery from March 2015 and September 2019. These aerial views reveal how the buried remains of the medieval earthworks still affect plant growth centuries later; crops grow differently over the filled-in ditches and compressed banks, creating patterns that tell the story of a long-lost settlement in the Limerick countryside.