This substantial fortification dates back to at least the late 15th century, when Sir Roland FitzEustace, who died in 1486, held a castle at this very location. Historical records from Tickell’s 1960 research describe the site as a rath standing some 70 feet high, though what remains today is a carefully engineered defensive structure that speaks to the strategic importance of this position.

The monument consists of a natural hillock that has been deliberately shaped into an oval platform measuring roughly 100 metres east to west and 70 metres north to south. The builders encircled the base with formidable defences; a substantial counterscarp bank rising 4.5 metres high and an internal fosse. The interior space was cleverly divided by a deep north-south running fosse, 2 metres wide and 3.2 metres deep, creating two distinct areas: a western motte rising approximately 11.5 metres above the fosse floor with a summit measuring about 23 by 20 metres, and a slightly smaller eastern bailey with an upper surface of 19 by 17 metres. The bailey’s defences were further reinforced with an additional fosse and outer bank that curves around its northern, eastern, and southern sides.

Time and the elements have taken their toll on this medieval fortification. The motte’s summit shows signs of partial excavation, leaving an uneven surface, whilst erosion caused by soil creep and grazing animals has damaged the southern sections. Archaeological evidence of past occupation remains visible; an eroded area on the bailey’s north face reveals a pit containing charcoal alongside burnt and unburnt bone, likely remnants of a habitation layer. Aerial photographs taken by Cambridge University in 1963 and 1966 have helped document the site’s layout and preservation, ensuring this piece of FitzEustace family history continues to be studied and understood.