Satellite Imagery
Satellite Imagery
HER: Archaeological Survey of Ireland SMR Database SL033-149001 (None)
NMR: SL 033 (None)
SM: None
NGR: None
X: 567850 Y: 814060 (IRENET95)
Near the modern town of Ballymote, a circular contour fort with a total site footprint of approximately 0.4ha surrounds the domed summit of a hilltop in undulating terrain with panoramic views from the summit. A number of river systems run along the base of the hill at the N, S and W. Bivallate for much of the circuit, the outer enclosing elements have most likely been levelled in the N and would have once formed a complete circuit. Egan, Byrne and Sleeman (2005) noted two gaps in the inner bank at the S and SW although they suggest this may be the result of livestock damage. A bowl barrow is positioned at the NW section of fort interior. The ramparts survive best in the S. Interior is under pasture. First map depiction in first edition Ordnance Survey mapping. More detailed earthwork survey in second edition Ordnance Survey maps. Earliest written reference by Condit, Gibbons and Timoney (1991). Site survey by Egan, Byrne and Sleeman (2005).
Citizen Science: ✗
Reliability of Data: Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation: Unconfirmed
X: -945241 Y: 7184308 (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude: -8.491242040042783 Latitude: 54.07465688208699 (EPSG:4326)
Country: Republic of Ireland
Current County or Unitary Authority: Sligo
Historic County: Sligo
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland: Mullaghcor
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 | ✗ |
Contour fort surrounding the domed summit of hilltop in undulating terrain with panoramic views from the summit. A number of river systems run along the base of the hilltop at the N, S and W.
| 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.
| North | ✗ |
| Northeast | ✗ |
| East | ✗ |
| Southeast | ✗ |
| South | ✗ |
| Southwest | ✗ |
| West | ✗ |
| Northwest | ✗ |
| Level | ✓ |
Altitude: 121.0m
N/A
None.
Reliability: D - None
| Pre 1200BC | ✗ |
| 1200BC - 800BC | ✗ |
| 800BC - 400BC | ✗ |
| 400BC - AD50 | ✗ |
| AD50 - AD400 | ✗ |
| AD400 - AD 800 | ✗ |
| Post AD800 | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✓ |
| Pre Hillfort: | A bowl barrow is positioned at the NW section of fort interior. |
| Post Hillfort: | None |
First map depiction in first edition Ordnance Survey mapping. More detailed earthwork survey in second edition Ordnance Survey maps. Earliest written reference by Condit, Gibbons and Timoney (1991). Site survey by Egan, Byrne and Sleeman (2005).
| 1st Identified Map Depiction (1842): | First edition Ordnance Survey 6 inch mapping. |
| Earthwork Survey (1906): | Second edition 25 inch Ordnance Survey mapping. |
| Other (1991): | Site survey by Condit, Gibbons and Timoney. |
| Other (2005): | Site survey by Egan, Byrne and Sleeman. |
A bowl barrow is positioned at the NW section of fort interior. This is a circular feature 14m in diameter and 2m high (Condit, Gibbons and Timoney 1991, 62)
None
| None | ✓ |
| Spring | ✗ |
| Stream | ✗ |
| Pool | ✗ |
| Flush | ✗ |
| Well | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Barrow
| 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 | ✗ |
Egan, Byrne and Sleeman (2005) noted two gaps in the inner bank at the S and SW, comprising a 4m and 6m break respectively in the enclosing elements, although they suggest this may be the result of livestock damage.
| 2: | None |
| 2: | None |
Guard Chambers: ✗
Chevaux de Frise: ✗
| 1. Simple Gap (South): | None |
| 2. Simple Gap (South west): | None |
Circular area defined by two earthen banks with an intervening ditch. The inner bank is 6m wide and approximately 0.3m in height. This is reduced to a scarp at the N and E (Egan, Byrne and Sleeman 2005). The intervening ditch is best preserved in the S and is only faintly visible elsewhere. The outer bank is approximately 6m wide and 0.6m in height. It survives best in the N, E and S and has been largely levelled in the NW.
| Area 1: | 0.22ha. |
| Total: | 0.22ha. |
Total Footprint Area: 0.44ha.
None
| ✗ | None |
| ✓ | This probably formed a complete circuit. |
| NE Quadrant: | 2 |
| 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 | ✗ |
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 |
| ✓ | Inner and outer bank with intervening ditch. |
Number of Ditches: 1
| ✗ | None. |
Condit, T., Gibbons, M. and Timoney, M. Hillforts in Sligo and Leitrim. Emania (9) 59-62.
Egan, U. Byrne, E. and Sleeman, M. 2005. Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo. Dublin Stationary Office, 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