This rectangular earthwork, measuring 40 metres north to south and 34 metres east to west, consists of a series of defensive features typical of Anglo-Norman settlements from the 13th and 14th centuries. The site is defined by an inner earthen bank, roughly 3.3 metres wide at its base, followed by a water-filled ditch or fosse of similar width, and traces of an outer bank that’s now only visible along the eastern side.

The entire interior sits slightly elevated above the surrounding marshland, a practical design choice that would have helped with drainage and defence. In the northwest section of the enclosure, the foundations of a rectangular stone structure remain visible, likely the base of a tower house or fortified dwelling that once stood at the heart of this settlement. While a modern road has clipped away the northwest corner of the earthworks, the site remains in reasonably good condition, offering a clear example of how medieval settlers adapted their defensive architecture to Ireland’s wet, boggy landscapes.

These moated sites are scattered across Ireland, particularly in areas colonised during the Anglo-Norman period. Unlike the grand stone castles that dominate the tourist trail, these earthwork enclosures represent the more common reality of medieval life; smaller landholders creating defendable homesteads using the materials at hand. The Raruddy West site, documented by the Galway Archaeological Survey at University College Galway, provides a tangible link to this era when new settlers were carving out territories in what was often hostile or disputed land.