Satellite Imagery
Satellite Imagery
HER: Archaeological Survey of Ireland SMR Database No record (None)
NMR: WI 027 (None)
SM: None
NGR: None
X: 692599 Y: 688901 (IRENET95)
Possible univallate contour fort in commanding positioned surrounding the domed summit of Kilranlagh Hill at SW edge of Wicklow mountains. This fort is one of nine hillforts comprising the Baltinglass hillfort cluster. There are no recorded entrance features. No evidence for any internal features on the surface. Three cairns, a stone circle and barrow are located on the hilltop, outside the possible hillfort. The ramparts have been heavily affected by commercial forestry plantation. GPS survey (O'Driscoll 2014) has identified a curving rubble stone bank on the western side of the hill. This may be the remains of a possible hillfort. This may correspond with a curving section of bank on the eastern side of the hilltop depicted in first edition Ordnance Survey maps, and with features revealed by aerial photography, which indicate the possible presence of a large enclosure on the summit of Kilranlagh. The interior is overgrown with scrub and is under light blanket bog and is in parts, covered by forestry. First identification and GPS survey by O'Driscoll in 2014.
Citizen Science: ✗
Reliability of Data: Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation: Unconfirmed
X: -737189 Y: 6972445 (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude: -6.622282272823199 Latitude: 52.94291086790325 (EPSG:4326)
Country: Republic of Ireland
Current County or Unitary Authority: Wicklow
Historic County: Wicklow
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland: Kilranlagh
None
| Extant | ✓ |
| Cropmark | ✗ |
| Likely Destroyed | ✓ |
None
| Woodland | ✗ |
| Commercial Forestry Plantation | ✓ |
| Parkland | ✗ |
| Pasture (Grazing) | ✗ |
| Arable | ✗ |
| Scrub/Bracken | ✓ |
| Bare Outcrop | ✗ |
| Heather/Moorland | ✗ |
| Heath | ✗ |
| Built-up | ✗ |
| Coastal Grassland | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Possible contour fort in commanding positioned surrounding the domed summit of Kilranlagh Hill at SW edge of Wicklow mountains. Panoramic views from the summit. Kilranlagh is one of nine hillforts that comprise the Baltinglass hillfort complex in Wicklow.
| 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: Kilranlagh Hill.
| North | ✗ |
| Northeast | ✗ |
| East | ✗ |
| Southeast | ✗ |
| South | ✗ |
| Southwest | ✗ |
| West | ✗ |
| Northwest | ✗ |
| Level | ✓ |
Altitude: 385.0m
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: | None |
GPS survey by O'Driscoll in 2014.
| Other (2014): | GPS survey. |
No evidence for any internal features on the surface. Three large cairns are visible on the hilltop, outside the possible hillfort, and on the eastern foot of the hill there is a barrow and stone circle consisting of 11 stones. Though undated, the stone circle is important, as it may indicate Late Bronze Age ritual activity in the immediate environs of the hillfort.
None
| None | ✓ |
| Spring | ✗ |
| Stream | ✗ |
| Pool | ✗ |
| Flush | ✗ |
| Well | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
None
| 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 | ✗ |
Possible large enclosure surrounding the summit of Kilranlagh Hill.
| APs Not Checked | ✗ |
| None | ✗ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Postholes | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Other | ✓ |
No obvious entrance features recorded.
| 0: | None |
| 2: | None |
Guard Chambers: ✗
Chevaux de Frise: ✗
Recent survey has identified a curving rubble stone bank on the western side of the hill, 140m in length and extending into newly planted forestry. The bank is approximately 14m in width and has exterior facing comprising large slabs. A change in vegetation on the immediate outside may indicate an outer ditch feature. This corresponds with a curving section of bank on the eastern side of the hilltop depicted in first edition Ordnance Survey maps. These may be the remains of a hillfort bank that, when projected, would have enclosed an area 5.33ha.
| Area 1: | 5.33ha. |
| Total: | 5.33ha. |
Total Footprint Area: 5.33ha.
None
| ✗ | None |
| ✗ | Enclosure visible at the E, S and W in aerial photography. GPS survey has traced the enclosing elements on the SW and W side of the hilltop. Newly planted forestry prevented the continuation of this survey. |
| NE Quadrant: | 0 |
| SE Quadrant: | 0 |
| SW Quadrant: | 1 |
| NW Quadrant: | 0 |
| Total: | 1 |
| Partial Univallate | ✓ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✗ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✗ |
| Partial Univallate | ✗ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✗ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
Curving rubble stone bank which may represent part of the enclosing elements of the hillfort. External face of large slabs
| 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 |
| ✗ | Possible external ditch evidence as a distinct change in vegitation. |
Number of Ditches: 1
| ✗ | None. |
O'Driscoll, J. 2014. Unpublished GPS survey report: Kilranlagh, Co. Wicklow. UCC Cork, Dept of Archaeology.
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