Moated site, Morgans North, Co. Limerick
In a low-lying marshy area near Morgans North, County Limerick, a curious rectangular earthwork sits hidden amongst the gorse and limestone outcrops.
Moated site, Morgans North, Co. Limerick
This medieval moated site measures approximately 35.6 metres east to west and 30 metres north to south, enclosed by an earthen bank that still stands about 0.9 metres high on the inside and 1.2 metres on the outside. The bank is accompanied by an external fosse, or defensive ditch, running from west to east with a depth of half a metre and a base width of 1.6 metres.
The eastern section of the enclosure has been recently levelled, though its outline remains visible as a line of loose, stony earth cutting across the landscape. The interior of the site appears to have been deliberately raised above the surrounding marshy terrain, though its surface is now uneven and shows signs of recent disturbance. At the eastern end of the bank, a substantial limestone boulder marks the boundary; embedded in the ground, it stands 1.1 metres high and measures 1.9 metres by 0.3 metres.
Sites like this one represent Ireland’s medieval past, when moated enclosures served as defensive homesteads for Anglo-Norman settlers and prosperous Irish families. The combination of earthen banks and water-filled ditches provided both practical defence and a statement of status in the medieval landscape. Though time and agricultural activity have taken their toll on this particular example, the surviving earthworks offer a tangible connection to the people who once lived and worked in this corner of Limerick centuries ago.





