Moated site, Mulmontry, Co. Wexford

Moated site, Mulmontry, Co. Wexford

In the quiet countryside of Mulmontry, County Wexford, a medieval moated site sits on a gentle south-facing slope, with a small stream running east to west about 100 metres away.

Moated site, Mulmontry, Co. Wexford

This square earthwork, measuring 32 metres on each side, stands within mixed woodland and displays the characteristic raised corners typical of such defensive structures. The site is defined by impressive flat-bottomed moats that encircle the central area; these ancient water defences are 5.5 to 6.5 metres wide at the top, narrowing to 3 metres at their base, with depths ranging from 1.3 to 1.7 metres on the inside and up to 3.5 metres on the external northwest side.

The engineering complexity of this medieval site becomes apparent when examining its double-moat system. Beyond the inner moat lies a substantial flat-topped outer bank, 6 to 7.5 metres wide at its base and rising 1.6 to 2.5 metres high, which surrounds all four sides of the site. This bank is itself protected by an external moat, 4 to 5 metres wide at its base, which still holds water on the northeast and northwest sides thanks to a leat that feeds into the north corner. On the southwest and southeast sides, these outer moats have been reduced over time to simple field drains. The entire complex spans roughly 60 metres from northwest to southeast and 58 metres from northeast to southwest.



Access to the central enclosure was carefully controlled through a single causeway, 2.5 metres wide, which crosses the inner moat on the northeast side. At this same point, a corresponding gap of 2.6 metres width breaks through the outer bank, creating a clear entrance route into what would have been a well-defended medieval homestead. First documented by Barry in 1977 and later included in the Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford published in 1996, this moated site represents one of many such defensive earthworks that dot the Irish landscape, silent witnesses to centuries of rural life and local power structures.

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Barry, T.B. 1977 Medieval moated sites of south-eastern Ireland. British Archaeological Reports, British Series 35. Oxford.
Mulmontry, Co. Wexford
52.33233025, -6.67839964
52.33233025,-6.67839964
Mulmontry 
Castle Features 

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