Satellite Imagery
Satellite Imagery
HER: Archaeological Survey of Ireland SMR Database LI059A001 (None)
NMR: LI 059 (None)
SM: None
NGR: None
X: 572098 Y: 616007 (IRENET95)
In commanding position at the summit of Carrig Henry, positioned on a natural triangular promontory in the Ballyhoura Hills. The site affords extensive views of the Limerick plains to the N and the Blackwater valley to the S. Two closely spaced earth and stone banks cut off the S, most accessible approach. The hillfort has a total site foot print of 1.6ha. A single entrance, consisting of corresponding breaks in the inner and outer enclosing elements is located at the midway along the banks on the S. A possible earthen bank to the N, beyond the cliff face, has been identified by Doody (2008, 540). This has a possible original entrance at its centre. A stone cairn at the highest point within the hillfort is said to be the remains of a Post-Medieval tower (Doody 2008, 541). No other evidence for internal features on the surface. Interior under scrub and bracken growth and commercial forestry plantation surrounds the hillfort at the N, E and W. Topographical survey by Doody (2008, 540 - 541). Hillfort not identified in any historic mapping.
Citizen Science: ✗
Reliability of Data: Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation: Confirmed
X: -936090 Y: 6853645 (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude: -8.409041003775076 Latitude: 52.295015083117526 (EPSG:4326)
Country: Republic of Ireland
Current County or Unitary Authority: Limerick
Historic County: Limerick
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland: Castle Gale
None
| Extant | ✓ |
| Cropmark | ✗ |
| Likely Destroyed | ✗ |
Commercial woodland surrounds the hillfort at the N, E and W. Interior under scrub and bracken growth.
| Woodland | ✗ |
| Commercial Forestry Plantation | ✗ |
| Parkland | ✗ |
| Pasture (Grazing) | ✗ |
| Arable | ✗ |
| Scrub/Bracken | ✓ |
| Bare Outcrop | ✗ |
| Heather/Moorland | ✗ |
| Heath | ✗ |
| Built-up | ✗ |
| Coastal Grassland | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Inland promontory fort positioned on the Cork/Limerick border in the Ballyhoura Hills. Situated on the summit of Carrig Henry, a natural promontory protected at the N, E and W by cliff face and to the S by two closely spaced banks of stone. Extensive views of the Limerick plains to the N and the Blackwater valley to the S.
| Contour Fort | ✗ |
| Partial Contour Fort | ✗ |
| Promontory Fort | ✓ |
| Hillslope Fort | ✗ |
| Level Terrain Fort | ✗ |
| Marsh Fort | ✗ |
| Multiple Enclosure Fort | ✗ |
| Hilltop | ✗ |
| Coastal Promontory | ✗ |
| Inland Promontory | ✓ |
| Valley Bottom | ✗ |
| Knoll/Hillock/Outcrop | ✗ |
| Ridge | ✗ |
| Cliff/Plateau-edge/Scarp | ✗ |
| Hillslope | ✗ |
| Lowland | ✗ |
| Spur | ✗ |
Dominant Topographic Feature: Hilltop/promontory.
| North | ✗ |
| Northeast | ✗ |
| East | ✗ |
| Southeast | ✗ |
| South | ✗ |
| Southwest | ✗ |
| West | ✗ |
| Northwest | ✗ |
| Level | ✓ |
Altitude: 302.0m
N/A
No dating evidence.
Reliability: D - None
| Pre 1200BC | ✗ |
| 1200BC - 800BC | ✗ |
| 800BC - 400BC | ✗ |
| 400BC - AD50 | ✗ |
| AD50 - AD400 | ✗ |
| AD400 - AD 800 | ✗ |
| Post AD800 | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✓ |
| Pre Hillfort: | None |
| Post Hillfort: | A stone cairn at the highest point within the hillfort is said to be the remains of a Post-Medieval tower (Doody 2008, 541). |
Earthwork survey by Doody (2008). Not identified in any historic mapping.
| Other (1998): | Visited by Hillfort Study Group |
| Earthwork Survey (None): | Doody (2008, 540 - 541). |
A stone cairn at the highest point within the hillfort is said to be the remains of a Post-Medieval tower (Doody 2008, 541). No other evidence for internal features on the surface.
None
| None | ✓ |
| Spring | ✗ |
| Stream | ✗ |
| Pool | ✗ |
| Flush | ✗ |
| Well | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Cairn
| No Known Features | ✗ |
| Round Stone Structures | ✗ |
| Rectangular Stone Structures | ✗ |
| Curvilinear Platforms | ✗ |
| Other Roundhouse Evidence | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows | ✗ |
| Other | ✓ |
None
| No Known Excavation | ✓ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Postholes | ✗ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
| Nothing Found | ✗ |
None
| No Known Geophysics | ✓ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
| Nothing Found | ✗ |
None
| No Known Finds | ✓ |
| Pottery | ✗ |
| Metal | ✗ |
| Metalworking | ✗ |
| Human Bones | ✗ |
| Animal Bones | ✗ |
| Lithics | ✗ |
| Environmental | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
NO APPARENT FEATURES
| APs Not Checked | ✗ |
| None | ✓ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Postholes | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Two corresponding breaks in inner and outer enclosing elements to S. This comprises a simple staggered break at the center of the enclosing features, 4m wide at the outer banks and 9m wide at the inner bank (Doody 2008, 541). A large upright slab flanks the E side of entrance in the inner enclosing element. Entrance in possible enclosing feature to N comprising a simple gap 6m in width at the center of the bank.
| 2: | None |
| 2: | None |
Guard Chambers: ✗
Chevaux de Frise: ✗
| 1. Simple Gap (South): | Break in inner enclosing element to S. |
| 1. Simple Gap (South): | Break in outer enclosing element to S. |
| 2. Simple Gap (North): | Break in possible enclosing element to N. |
Triangular area defined at the S by a set of closely spaced earthen banks and an intervening ditch. Width of inner bank varies from 6 - 12m. Average width of outer bank varies from 4- 7m. Depth of ditch from top of bank to bottom of ditch is 4m in places. Banks faced in places. Possible enclosing elements to N comprise an earthen bank approximately 5.8m wide and 1.7m high (Doody 2008, 541). For plan of site see Doody (2008, 541).
| Area 1: | 1.24ha. |
| Total: | 1.24ha. |
Total Footprint Area: 1.6ha.
None
| ✗ | None |
| ✗ | None |
| NE Quadrant: | 1 |
| SE Quadrant: | 2 |
| SW Quadrant: | 2 |
| NW Quadrant: | 1 |
| Total: | 2 |
| Partial Univallate | ✓ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✓ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✗ |
| Partial Univallate | ✗ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✗ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
Earthen bank with facing in places.
| None | ✗ |
| Earthen Bank | ✓ |
| Stone Wall | ✓ |
| Rubble | ✗ |
| Wall-walk | ✗ |
| Evidence of Timber | ✗ |
| Vitrification | ✗ |
| Other Burning | ✗ |
| Palisade | ✗ |
| Counter Scarp Bank | ✗ |
| Berm | ✗ |
| Unfinished | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
None
| None | ✗ |
| Earthen Bank | ✗ |
| Stone Wall | ✗ |
| Murus Duplex | ✗ |
| Timber-framed | ✗ |
| Timber-laced | ✗ |
| Vitrification | ✗ |
| Other Burning | ✗ |
| Palisade | ✗ |
| Counter Scarp Bank | ✗ |
| Berm | ✗ |
| Unfinished | ✗ |
| No Known Excavation | ✓ |
| Other | ✗ |
| ✗ | None |
| ✓ | None |
Number of Ditches: 1
| ✗ | None. |
Doody, M. 2008. The Ballyhoura Hills Project. Wordwell, Dublin.
Atlas of Hillforts:
Wikidata:
This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
and should be cited as:
Lock, Gary and Ralston, Ian. 2024. Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland. Available at: https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk
Document Version 1.1