Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

IR0684 Knocksouna, Limerick

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

HER:  Archaeological Survey of Ireland SMR Database LI047-092 (None)

NMR:  LI 047 (None)

SM:  None

NGR:  None

X:  556504  Y:  627972  (IRENET95)

Summary

W of the village of Killmallock, circular multiple enclosure surrounding the summit of isolated hill overlooking the Loobagh River 200m to the S. The site has a total footprint of approximately 2.8ha. Bivallate for most of its circuit with widely spaced enclosing elements. No recorded entrance features. Immediately outside the inner enclosing element to the N are a number of earthworks and terraces which may comprise hut structures and relict field divisions. The internal enclosing element survives as a low lying bank. The outer enclosing feature is heavily overgrown and to the E is incorporated into a modern field system. The E side of the interior is overgrown with scrub. There have been no archaeological investigations of this hillfort. The hillfort was not recorded in any historic mapping.

Status

Citizen Science:  ✗

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -961710  Y:  6873058  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -8.639184345407664  Latitude:  52.4015422690369  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  Republic of Ireland

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Limerick

Historic County:  Limerick

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Knocksouna

Monument Condition

Possible outer enclosing elements largely destroyed to W.

Condition:
Extant   ✓
Cropmark   ✗
Likely Destroyed   ✓

Land Use

Large area of scrub overgrowth to E and SE. Limestone outcrop to the S and W of interior.

Current Use:
Woodland   ✗
Commercial Forestry Plantation   ✗
Parkland   ✗
Pasture (Grazing)   ✓
Arable   ✗
Scrub/Bracken   ✓
Bare Outcrop   ✗
Heather/Moorland   ✗
Heath   ✗
Built-up   ✗
Coastal Grassland   ✗
Other   ✗

Landscape

Hillfort Type

Multiple enclosure surrounding the summit of isolated hill in low-lying terrain. Panoramic views in all directions. Hillfort is overlooking the Loobagh River to 200m to the S. Enclosing elements follow the natural countours of the hill.

Type:
Contour Fort   ✓
Partial Contour Fort   ✗
Promontory Fort   ✗
Hillslope Fort   ✗
Level Terrain Fort   ✗
Marsh Fort   ✗
Multiple Enclosure Fort   ✓

Topographic Position

Position:
Hilltop   ✓
Coastal Promontory   ✗
Inland Promontory   ✗
Valley Bottom   ✗
Knoll/Hillock/Outcrop   ✗
Ridge   ✗
Cliff/Plateau-edge/Scarp   ✗
Hillslope   ✗
Lowland   ✗
Spur   ✗

Dominant Topographic Feature:  Hilltop.

Aspect:
North   ✗
Northeast   ✗
East   ✗
Southeast   ✗
South   ✗
Southwest   ✗
West   ✗
Northwest   ✗
Level   ✓

Altitude:  103.0m

Boundary

N/A


Dating Evidence

No dating evidence.

Reliability:  D - None

Principal Activity:
Pre 1200BC   ✗
1200BC - 800BC   ✗
800BC - 400BC   ✗
400BC - AD50   ✗
AD50 - AD400   ✗
AD400 - AD 800   ✗
Post AD800   ✗
Unknown   ✓

Other Activity:
Pre Hillfort:   None
Post Hillfort:   None

Evidence:No related records

Investigation History

There have been no archaeological investigations of this hillfort. The hillfort was not recorded in any historic mapping.

Investigations:
Other (1998):   Visited by Hillfort Study Group

Interior Features

Round and sub rectangular enclosures and smaller circular platforms abutting the inner enclosing element to the N, visible on aerial photographs.

Water Source

None

Source:
None   ✓
Spring   ✗
Stream   ✗
Pool   ✗
Flush   ✗
Well   ✗
Other   ✗

Surface

Round and sub rectangular enclosures and smaller circular platforms.

Interior Features (Surface):
No Known Features   ✗
Round Stone Structures   ✗
Rectangular Stone Structures   ✗
Curvilinear Platforms   ✓
Other Roundhouse Evidence   ✗
Pits   ✗
Quarry Hollows   ✗
Other   ✓

Excavation

None

Interior Features (Excavation):
No Known Excavation   ✓
Pits   ✗
Postholes   ✗
Roundhouses   ✗
Rectangular Structures   ✗
Roads/Tracks   ✗
Quarry Hollows   ✗
Other   ✗
Nothing Found   ✗

Geophysics

None

Interior Features (Geophysics):
No Known Geophysics   ✓
Pits   ✗
Roundhouses   ✗
Rectangular Structures   ✗
Roads/Tracks   ✗
Quarry Hollows   ✗
Other   ✗
Nothing Found   ✗

Finds

None

Interior (Finds):
No Known Finds   ✓
Pottery   ✗
Metal   ✗
Metalworking   ✗
Human Bones   ✗
Animal Bones   ✗
Lithics   ✗
Environmental   ✗
Other   ✗

Aerial

Round and sub rectangular enclosures and smaller circular platforms abutting the inner enclosing element to the N.

Interior Features (Aerial):
APs Not Checked   ✗
None   ✗
Roundhouses   ✗
Rectangular Structures   ✗
Pits   ✗
Postholes   ✗
Roads/Tracks   ✗
Other   ✓

Entrances

No obvious entrance features recorded.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
0:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None

Guard Chambers:  ✗

Chevaux de Frise:  ✗

Entrances:No related records

Enclosing Works

Circular area defined by two widely spaced enclosing elements separated approximately 50 - 65m apart. No evidence for ditch features. No other information available.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   0.44ha.
Area 2:   2.8ha.
Total:   2.8ha.

Total Footprint Area:  2.82ha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   None

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✓   Outer enclosing element probably destroyed in the W and ramparts likely to have formed complete circuit.

Number of Ramparts:  
NE Quadrant:   2
SE Quadrant:   2
SW Quadrant:   2
NW Quadrant:   1
Total:   2

Morphology

Current Morphology:
Partial Univallate   ✓
Univallate   ✗
Partial Bivallate   ✓
Bivallate   ✗
Partial Multivallate   ✗
Multivallate   ✗
Unknown   ✗

Detailed Morphology:
Partial Univallate   ✗
Univallate   ✓
Partial Bivallate   ✗
Bivallate   ✗
Partial Multivallate   ✗
Multivallate   ✗

Surface Evidence

None

Enclosing Works (Surface):
None   ✗
Earthen Bank   ✓
Stone Wall   ✗
Rubble   ✗
Wall-walk   ✗
Evidence of Timber   ✗
Vitrification   ✗
Other Burning   ✗
Palisade   ✗
Counter Scarp Bank   ✗
Berm   ✗
Unfinished   ✗
Other   ✗

Excavated Evidence

None

Enclosing Works (Excavation):
None   ✗
Earthen Bank   ✗
Stone Wall   ✗
Murus Duplex   ✗
Timber-framed   ✗
Timber-laced   ✗
Vitrification   ✗
Other Burning   ✗
Palisade   ✗
Counter Scarp Bank   ✗
Berm   ✗
Unfinished   ✗
No Known Excavation   ✓
Other   ✗

Other

Gang Working:
✗   None

Ditches:
✗   None

Number of Ditches:  0

Annex:
✗   None.

References

No related records



Terms of Use

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


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