1998:538 - DRUMLANE II, Monaghan

Investigations in the environs of this site were undertaken as part of the Castleblaney Urban Water Supply Scheme. Topsoil-stripping within a 50m radius of the site and inside the way-leave was undertaken before the commencement of the scheme. The site, c. 350m north of Drumlane I (see No. 537, Excavations 1998), lies at the east-south-east end of a long, high drumlin ridge, which rises to its summit well above the ringfort. There is a lot of rock outcrop visible to south and south-east.

When first surveyed in 1968 the site consisted of a circular area (38m east-north-east/west-south-west by 41m) surrounded by the remains of an earthen bank on a high embankment, with the partial remains of a fosse at the north-west. There was a broad rib running west-north-west/east-south-east through the interior, with the ground sloping a good deal to the south-west and north-east. The bank was best preserved at north-west and south-east; along the south-west and north-east sides there were only faint traces of the bank, but the embankment was quite high here. The fosse only existed at north-west across the neck of the ridge. Several field fences touched the ringfort, and at the south-west one continued as outer facing to the embankment. There were several gaps in the bank, but the original entrance was not identifiable.

The present condition of the fort is that it is heavily overgrown with blackthorns, and it appears to be very much as described above.

The area of evaluation was slightly dog-legged in plan and measured 10m x 100m. No material of archaeological interest was recovered during the course of the work.