Satellite Imagery
Satellite Imagery
HER: Archaeological Survey of Ireland SMR Database GA015-016 (None)
NMR: GA 015 (None)
SM: None
NGR: None
X: 535500 Y: 763389 (IRENET95)
Bivallate contour fort in commanding position surrounding the domed summit of Belmont Hill, overlooking tributary of River Clare to E. Large sub circular hillfort defined by two closely spaced ramparts and external ditches. Bivallate for its entire circuit, it has a total site footprint of approximately 2.3ha. There are two simple gaps in the enclosing elements at the S and NW, but î R'ord_in (1976, 90-91) suggests that the break at the NW is not original. Relatively modern graveyard positioned at the centre of the hillfort (î R'ord_in 1976, 81). No evidence for any internal features on the surface that might be contemporary with the hillfort. The internal ramparts survive well throughout its circuit. The outer bank and ditch have been altered, with a modern stone bank surmounting the outer bank and the outer ditch been largely infilled. Hillfort is currently under pasture. First map identification in first edition Ordnance Survey mapping. Monument survey by î R'ord_in in 1976 and Alcock et al. in 1995.
Citizen Science: ✗
Reliability of Data: Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation: Confirmed
X: -999075 Y: 7097830 (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude: -8.974844766001842 Latitude: 53.616351705926974 (EPSG:4326)
Country: Republic of Ireland
Current County or Unitary Authority: Galway
Historic County: Galway
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland: Belmont
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 | ✗ |
Bivallate contour fort in commanding position surrounding the domed summit of hilltop, overlooking tributary of River Clare to E. This hilltop is the highest point of a SE-NW running prominent ridge overlooking low-lying terrain in all directions. Panoramic views from the summit.
| 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 on S edge of ridge.
| North | ✗ |
| Northeast | ✗ |
| East | ✗ |
| Southeast | ✗ |
| South | ✗ |
| Southwest | ✗ |
| West | ✗ |
| Northwest | ✗ |
| Level | ✓ |
Altitude: 92.0m
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: | Relatively modern graveyard positioned at the center of the hillfort (î Rord_in 1976, 81). Satellite imagery also shows that the interior has been cultivated |
First map identification in first edition Ordnance Survey mapping. Monument survey by î Rord_in in 1976 and Alcock et al. in 1995.
| 1st Identified Map Depiction (1842): | First edition Ordnance Survey 6 inch mapping. |
| Other (1906): | Second edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch mapping. |
| Other (1976): | Monument survey by Ó Ríordáin |
| Other (1999): | Monument survey by Alcock et al. |
Within the enclosure the ground rises suddenly and sharply to a flat, even summit (î Rord_in 1976, 89). Relatively modern graveyard positioned at the centre of the hillfort (î Rord_in 1976, 81). No evidence for any internal features on the surface that might be contemporary with 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 | ✗ |
NO APPARENT FEATURES
| APs Not Checked | ✗ |
| None | ✓ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Postholes | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Possible original entrance at the S comprising a simple 4m wide gap through the bank and a corresponding causeway across the ditch. At NW, î Rord_in (1976, 90-91) has identified a larger gap in the bank and a similar causeway across the ditch, but suggests this is not original.
| 2: | None |
| 2: | None |
Guard Chambers: ✗
Chevaux de Frise: ✗
| 1. Simple Gap (South): | None |
Circular area defined by two enclosing elements comprising well preserved internal bank approximately 5m wide and 1m high with possible internal stone facing at the E. The top of the bank is almost 3m above the bottom of the external ditch. This ditch is flat bottomed and is approximately 5m wide and 0.5m wide at its base. There are the possible remains of a second bank and ditch immediately outside these enclosing elements. A modern stone wall is built upon the outer bank. The outer ditch is best preserved at the S (Ó Rord_in 1976, 90).
| Area 1: | 1.72ha. |
| Total: | 1.72ha. |
Total Footprint Area: 2.33ha.
None
| ✗ | None |
| ✓ | None |
| NE Quadrant: | 2 |
| SE Quadrant: | 2 |
| SW Quadrant: | 2 |
| NW Quadrant: | 2 |
| Total: | 2 |
| Partial Univallate | ✗ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✗ |
| Bivallate | ✓ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✗ |
| Partial Univallate | ✗ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✗ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
None
| 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 |
| ✓ | External ditches. |
Number of Ditches: 2
| ✗ | None. |
Alcock, O., de hÓra, K. and Gosling, P. 1999. Archaeological Inventory of County Galway, Vol. II. The Stationary Office, Dublin.
Ó R'ord-in, S. 1976. The Hillfort at Belmont in Co. Galway. Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, Vol. 35, 89-95.
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