The image, catalogued as CUCAP BGN 53, shows distinctive cropmarks outlining a rectangular enclosure measuring roughly 40 metres from northeast to southwest and 35 metres from northwest to southeast. These marks, visible only from above when conditions are right, trace the path of an ancient fosse, or defensive ditch, that once surrounded this mysterious site.

What makes this discovery particularly interesting is its isolation from any known historical structures. The enclosure sits adjacent to a stream that appears on the 1835 Ordnance Survey six-inch map, yet the map shows no buildings or field boundaries associated with this rectangular earthwork. This suggests the site predates the organised field systems of the 19th century, possibly by several centuries. The presence of a fosse indicates this was likely a defended site; perhaps a small farmstead, a minor lordship, or even an early medieval moated homestead.

Cropmarks like these are archaeological gold dust, revealing features long since ploughed flat or filled in. They appear when buried ditches and foundations affect crop growth differently than the surrounding soil, creating patterns visible from the air during dry spells. This particular site at Newtownpilsworth joins hundreds of similar discoveries across Ireland, each adding another piece to our understanding of how the landscape was inhabited and defended throughout history. Though the exact purpose and date of this enclosure remain unknown, its discovery in 2016 added another tantalising glimpse into Kildare’s hidden past.