The site consists of a flat-topped mound, known as a motte, which rises between 4.4 and 5.2 metres high with a base diameter of 28 metres that narrows to just 9.5 metres at its summit. A distinctive fosse, or defensive ditch, runs northeast from the mound towards the scarped edge of the ridge, whilst the eastern side of the motte’s summit shows signs of partial destruction over the centuries.

At the southern end of the site lie the remains of what archaeologists identify as a degraded bailey; an enclosed courtyard that would have served as the heart of daily life in this small fortification. Measuring roughly 23 metres east to west and 49 metres north to south, this rectangular space is defined by deep scarps on its eastern and southern sides, with a shallow fosse approximately 3 metres wide and half a metre deep marking its western boundary. The bailey’s height varies from just half a metre at its western edge to 2 metres at its southern extent.

The location appears to have been strategically chosen, sitting approximately 210 metres south of both Haynestown Castle and St Paul’s Church, suggesting this area held military and religious significance for several centuries. These details come from archaeological surveys conducted in 1986 and 1991, with updates based on more recent research, providing valuable insight into the Norman impact on the Irish landscape.