Rathgall Hill Fort



Map Reference: S902731 (2902, 1731)

This huge circular site is approximately 320m across and encloses an estimated area of 7.3 hectares. The outermost stone and earthen bank is fragmentary and exists mainly as field boundaries. Concentric with this at a distance of c50m are two more stone banks placed close together. The diameters of these are c 180m and 140m and the estimated height of each is 5m. Concentric with these banks at a distance of a further 30m is a massive drystone enclosure with a diameter of c45m. The wall of this enclosure is c5.5m thick and 2.5m wide. There is a well-defined entrance and at one side a bulge in the wall houses a small rectangular structure which may have been a mural chamber. During excavation evidence was found of metal working, a cemetery and a round house, all dating to the Late Bronze Age. All the finds occurred within the central structure although this structure itself seems to date from medieval times.



The entrance to the central structure



The rectangular cavity within the wall



The view along the top of the third enclosing bank with the outermost bank in the distance



Panoramic view of the central structure



Panoramic view showing the interior of the central structure



Panoramic view showing the area within the third enclosing bank



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