Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

IR0717 Courthoyle New, Wexford (Rathlyhar)

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

HER:  Archaeological Survey of Ireland SMR Database WX030-058 (None)

NMR:  WX 030 (None)

SM:  None

NGR:  None

X:  682232  Y:  626839  (IRENET95)

Summary

Circular contour fort positioned immediately E of the summit of a broad, low hill, overlooking the town of Raheen and Templeshelin Stream to N. Named 'Rathlyhar' in first and second edition Ordnance Survey maps. The rampart of this univallate hillfort forms a complete circuit. First edition Ordnance Survey maps depict a second bank immediately outside the external ditch of the extant enclosing elements. The site has a total footprint of approximately 1.1ha. A simple gap in the enclosing elements to the W is likely a modern entrance. There is no evidence for any internal features on the surface. The rampart survives well throughout its circuit. Interior under pasture with some tree cover over enclosing elements. Earliest identified map depiction in first edition Ordnance Survey 6 inch mapping. More detailed earthwork survey in second edition Ordnance Survey mapping. Monument survey by Moore (1996, 25).

Status

Citizen Science:  ✗

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -756078  Y:  6870389  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -6.791963794589015  Latitude:  52.38691344312026  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  Republic of Ireland; None

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Wexford

Historic County:  Wexford

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Courthoyle New

Monument Condition

None

Condition:
Extant   ✓
Cropmark   ✗
Likely Destroyed   ✗

Land Use

Enclosing elements overgrown with scrub.

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

Contour fort positioned immediately E of the summit of a broad, low hill. Extensive views to the N, E and W. Overlooking the town of Raheen and Templeshelin Stream to N.

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:  Low rise hilltop.

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

Altitude:  90.0m

Boundary

NE section of enclosing elements acts as the boundary between Courthoyle New and Raheenaclonagh townlands.

Boundary Type:  Parish/Townland


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

Earliest identified map detection in first edition Ordnance Survey 6 inch mapping. More detailed earthwork survey in second edition Ordnance Survey mapping. Monument survey by Moore (1996, 25).

Investigations:
1st Identified Map Depiction (1842):   First edition Ordnance Survey 6 inch mapping.
Earthwork Survey (1906):   Second edition 25 inch Ordnance Survey mapping.
Other (1996):   Monument survey by Moore (1996).

Interior Features

No evidence for any internal features on the surface.

Water Source

None

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

Surface

None

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

NO APPARENT FEATURES

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

Entrances

Possible modern entrance gap at W comprising a 2m gap at base, 5m gap at crest of bank.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
1:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None

Guard Chambers:  ✗

Chevaux de Frise:  ✗

Entrances:No related records

Enclosing Works

Circular area defined by a single earthen bank approximately 5m in maximum width and 1.3m high with slight traces of a possible external ditch approximately 8m wide. First edition Ordnance Survey maps depict an external immediately outside of the external ditch.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   0.91ha.
Total:   0.91ha.

Total Footprint Area:  1.09ha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   None

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✓   None

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

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:
✓   Slight indication of outer ditch.

Number of Ditches:  1

Annex:
✗   None.

References

Moore, M. 1996. Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford. The Stationary Office, Dublin.



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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