This impressive moated site consists of a raised square platform measuring roughly 66 metres north to south and 64 metres east to west, enclosed by a distinctive U-shaped water-filled ditch, or fosse, that varies between 3.8 and 6.5 metres in width. The entire complex is further protected by an external earthen bank, creating a formidable defensive structure with distinctly rounded corners that sets it apart from typical medieval fortifications.

The site’s historical significance extends beyond its physical features. According to records from the 1650s and local tradition documented by O’Flanagan in the early 20th century, the platform once supported a timber-framed building belonging to the chiefs of Clanmaliere. This ‘Frame House’, as it was known locally, appears on a 1654 map of Offaly positioned at the centre of the moated enclosure. While no surface traces of the building remain today, aerial photography from Cambridge University has revealed possible foundations, along with evidence of what may have been the original entrance on the southern side where the external bank shows signs of deliberate modification.

The Sconce forms part of a wider medieval landscape in Ballykean, situated near the remains of a now-destroyed tower house and a surviving medieval church. The name ‘Sconce’ itself, meaning a raised area, perfectly captures the site’s commanding presence in the landscape; the platform rises over two metres above the surrounding terrain. Evidence suggests the fosse once held water, possibly fed by a leat at the northeast angle where peat deposits have accumulated, making this one of the finest examples of a moated site in the region. Its strategic location, with bog immediately to the north and good pastureland on all other sides, would have provided both defensive advantages and economic resources to its medieval inhabitants.