The rectangular enclosure is now barely visible at ground level, having been levelled over the centuries, but from above, a distinctive dish-shaped depression still marks where this fortified homestead once stood. These telltale signs in the landscape hint at a time when such defensive structures dotted the Irish countryside.

Moated sites like this one were typically built between the 13th and 14th centuries, often by Anglo-Norman settlers or prosperous Irish families seeking to protect their homes and agricultural wealth. The moat, which would have been filled with water, served as both a defensive barrier and a status symbol. The raised platform in the centre would have held a timber hall or stone building, along with various outbuildings for livestock, storage, and daily activities. While the structures themselves have long since vanished, the earthworks remain as subtle reminders of medieval life in rural Ireland.

This particular site was documented during archaeological surveys for the Archaeological Inventory of County Laois, published in 1995. Though time and agriculture have smoothed away most of its features, modern aerial photography techniques continue to reveal these hidden monuments, allowing archaeologists and historians to piece together the medieval landscape of Laois. The site stands as one of many such earthworks across the county, each telling a quiet story of Ireland’s complex medieval past.