Here sits an intriguing medieval earthwork known as a moated site, its square enclosure measuring roughly 40 metres northwest to southeast and 38 metres northeast to southwest. The monument’s most striking feature is its substantial defensive bank, constructed from earth and stone, which rises up to 2 metres high on the external side whilst appearing more modest from within at just 0.3 to 0.7 metres. This formidable barrier, measuring 4 metres wide at its base and tapering to 1.4 metres at the top, would have presented quite an obstacle to any unwelcome visitors in its day.

Surrounding this impressive bank runs a wide, flat-bottomed fosse or defensive ditch, varying between 1.5 and 2.5 metres wide at its base and expanding to 4 metres at the top. The ditch depth ranges from 1 to 1.5 metres, creating an additional layer of protection for whoever occupied this site centuries ago. Two cattle gaps pierce the defensive bank at the northern and western sides, likely modern additions to allow livestock access. The northeastern section showcases the best preservation of both bank and fosse, giving visitors a clear sense of the monument’s original defensive capabilities.

The interior space, whilst well preserved, presents something of a mystery due to heavy overgrowth that makes detailed examination challenging. What can be observed is that the internal ground level sits flush with the external surface, though the towering enclosing bank creates an optical illusion of a sunken interior. This type of moated site typically dates to the Anglo-Norman period in Ireland, when such fortified homesteads served as centres for agricultural estates. Documentary evidence compiled by researcher Jean Farrelly in August 2011 helps piece together the story of this Glengoole North monument, though much of its specific history remains hidden beneath centuries of accumulated earth and vegetation.