Moated site, Moyvally, Co. Kildare
On a gentle east-facing slope above the river Blackwater in County Kildare, the remains of a medieval moated site sit quietly in an area of rough, waterlogged pasture.
Moated site, Moyvally, Co. Kildare
This rectangular earthwork at Moyvally measures 48 metres east to west and 24 metres north to south, defined by a low earthen bank that varies in height around its perimeter. The bank stands about 75 centimetres high on the western side, rising to a metre along the northern and eastern edges, whilst the exterior height ranges from one metre on the southern side to two metres at its northern extent.
Surrounding this raised bank is an outer fosse, or defensive ditch, that runs between one and a half to two and a half metres wide depending on the section. The ditch depth varies from half a metre on the western side to a full metre along the northern edge, and it cleverly incorporates a natural depression about five metres wide on the eastern side. The interior of the site remains largely level but boggy, with slightly raised earthen platforms in each corner; these were likely created from soil excavated when the fosse was originally dug.
Today, the monument sits in improved pasture land, though dense vegetation has overtaken much of the perimeter along the western, northern and eastern sides. The site’s features remain visible from above, as captured in aerial photographs from 2005, offering a glimpse into how medieval settlers once carved out defended homesteads in the Irish countryside. These moated sites, common throughout Ireland, typically date from the 13th to 14th centuries and served as fortified farmsteads for Anglo-Norman colonists or prosperous Irish families.