The name derives from the Irish Sruthán an Mhúin, meaning ‘streamlet of the urine’, which originally referred to a small stream that once flowed through the area but has since been filled in. This rather unusual name adds a touch of local colour to what is actually a significant historical earthwork dating from the turbulent mid-17th century.

The enclosure forms a precise square, measuring 64 metres on each side internally, and is defended by an impressive double bank and ditch system. The outer earthen bank rises 1.5 metres from ground level and towers about 2 metres above the defensive ditch, or fosse, that runs between the two banks. This fosse itself measures 3 metres wide, whilst the inner bank presents an even more formidable barrier, standing 3 metres high when viewed from the ditch. Together, these earthworks create a substantial defensive perimeter that would have been quite imposing in its day. The entrance, located on the southern side, spans 4 metres at the inner bank and widens to 6 metres at the outer bank, with traces of a causeway still visible crossing the fosse.

According to archaeological research, this type of moated site was primarily constructed and occupied during the period from 1641 to 1659, placing it squarely within the Confederate Wars and Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. These enclosures served as fortified homesteads or defensive positions during one of Ireland’s most tumultuous periods, when the country was wracked by rebellion, civil war, and invasion. Today, the earthworks remain remarkably well preserved, offering visitors a tangible connection to this dramatic chapter of Irish history hidden amongst the trees of Leslie’s Wood.