The site consists of a rectangular area measuring 36 metres from north to south and 32 metres from east to west, surrounded by an earthen bank that still stands about 1.2 metres high on the inside. Around this defensive bank runs an external fosse, or defensive ditch, that’s roughly 1.2 metres deep and bounded on its northern side by an earthen field fence.

The original entrance to this enclosed settlement can still be seen on the western side, where a gap about 1.2 metres wide marks the old gateway. Here, a causeway crosses the fosse, allowing access to the interior just as it would have done centuries ago when the site was occupied. The enclosed area slopes gently downward towards the north and has been planted with conifers in more recent times.

These moated sites are characteristic of Anglo-Norman settlement patterns in medieval Ireland, typically dating from the 13th to 14th centuries. They served as defended farmsteads for colonists and their descendants, providing both security and status in what was often contested territory. The earthwork defences at Monteen remain remarkably well-preserved, offering visitors a tangible connection to Cork’s medieval past and the complex history of settlement and colonisation in the region.