Moated site, Grantstown, Co. Tipperary South
In the improved pastures of Grantstown, County Tipperary South, a rectangular earthwork rises from an elevated patch of land, commanding views across the lower ground to the northwest.
Moated site, Grantstown, Co. Tipperary South
This intriguing monument first appeared on the 1840 Ordnance Survey map as a rectangular area measuring approximately 46 metres northeast to southwest and 13.5 metres northwest to southeast. By the 1904 edition, it was clearly marked as a raised feature, with a field boundary running along its southwestern edge and a road skirting its southeastern side.
The monument itself consists of a raised rectangular platform measuring 34 by 14 metres, defined by distinctive scarps on three sides. The southwestern scarp extends for 15 metres, whilst the northwestern boundary runs for 32 metres and the northeastern edge spans 11 metres; the tallest point of these earthen walls reaches 1.2 metres in height. The interior of the platform slopes gently towards the northeast, creating a subtle but deliberate gradient across the enclosed space.
Archaeological surveys have identified this as a moated site, though the moat itself is now dry. In 1977, researcher Barry recorded the platform as standing 1.75 metres above the surrounding field level, encircled by a waterless moat that varied in width from 2 to 6.8 metres. Interestingly, recent aerial photography suggests the monument may extend south of the modern road that cuts across it from northeast to southwest, hinting that this medieval earthwork was once considerably larger than what remains visible today.





