Moated site, Garryandrew North, Co. Tipperary South
In the forestry of Garryandrew North, County Tipperary South, a rectangular earthwork sits quietly amongst the trees, its low banks defining an area roughly 32 metres square.
Moated site, Garryandrew North, Co. Tipperary South
The earthen embankments that form this enclosure vary in preservation; whilst the northern and eastern sides maintain their original form at around 6.75 metres wide and over a metre in height, the southern and western sections have eroded into scarps. The banks, which measure between 28 and 35 metres on each side, appear to have been modified over the years, possibly straightened during more recent forestry work.
This type of earthwork is often interpreted as a moated site, though no water remains in what would have been the surrounding ditch. Two breaches interrupt the banks, one at the southeast corner measuring 2.8 metres wide and a narrower one at the northeast, just a metre across. These gaps may represent original entrances or later damage to the structure. The interior of the enclosure slopes gently towards the northeast, following the natural contours of the land.
The site benefits from a 15-metre buffer zone where no forestry saplings have been planted, allowing the earthwork to remain visible and relatively undisturbed. Another similar enclosure lies just 180 metres to the north-northeast, suggesting this area may have had multiple defensive or agricultural enclosures during the medieval period. Such moated sites were typically constructed between the 13th and 15th centuries, often serving as fortified farmsteads for Anglo-Norman settlers or prosperous Irish families.





