Moated site, Johnstown, Co. Westmeath
Sitting atop a prominent hill in Johnstown, County Westmeath, this medieval moated site commands excellent views across the surrounding countryside in nearly every direction.
Moated site, Johnstown, Co. Westmeath
The gently rolling grassland that surrounds the monument is interrupted only by a nearby hill to the east, which provides a natural backdrop to this well-preserved earthwork. The site consists of a raised, roughly rectangular platform measuring approximately 33 metres from northwest to southeast and 20 metres from north to south, enclosed by a substantial earthen bank with an external ditch, or fosse, that remains clearly visible along much of its circuit.
The interior of the monument reveals a more complex layout than might be expected from its exterior appearance. Rather than a single open space, the enclosure is divided into two distinct areas. The main enclosure, roughly rectangular and measuring about 23 by 18 metres, occupies the higher ground, whilst a smaller annexe sits at a lower level to the northwest. This secondary enclosure, measuring 14 by 10 metres, appears to have served as an auxiliary space connected to the main area. A low bank running northeast to southwest across the interior of the main enclosure provides further evidence of internal organisation, suggesting different functional zones within the site.
Access to this fortified space was carefully controlled through a single entrance gap on the southeastern side, where both the fosse and bank were deliberately breached to create a narrow passageway. Today, a modern field fence cuts across the monument from west to south, but this does little to diminish the impressive preservation of the earthworks. The site was surveyed and documented by the Archaeological Survey of Ireland, with the resulting plan showing the careful construction and deliberate planning that went into creating this medieval stronghold.