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Counterscarp rath is a probable early Christian rath situated near Magherafelt in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The monument is protected as a recorded historic monument under Historic Environment Division reference 12799. Raths of this period typically comprise a circular or sub-circular enclosed settlement, often defined by one or more earthen banks and ditches, which served as the residential and defensive focal point of a local community during the early medieval period.
The site lies on bedrock of the Roe Valley Group, a Tournaisian-age formation comprising sandstone, conglomerate and subordinate argillaceous rocks. This geology would have influenced both the construction of the earthwork and the drainage characteristics of the enclosed area, factors significant to the siting and long-term viability of the settlement.
As a probable early Christian rath, the monument reflects the transition from pagan Iron Age settlement patterns to the Christian period in Ireland, a shift generally occurring between the fifth and seventh centuries. Such sites often show continuity of occupation, and their enclosed layout served practical purposes relating to livestock management, security and social status, functions essential to the economy and organisation of early medieval farming communities in this region.
Counterscarp rath is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 12799. View the official record →
Counterscarp rath is a probable early Christian rath situated near Magherafelt in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 12799.
Counterscarp rath dates from the e.christ. period, and is classified as a rath. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Counterscarp rath is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Ni. The official designation reference is 12799.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Dergmore's grave. portal tomb (1 km), Standing stone, possibly remains of megalithic tomb (2.2 km), Rath (3.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Counterscarp rath's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Counterscarp rath stands on Roe Valley Group, bedrock that formed in the Tournaisian. The rock here is sandstone, conglomerate and [subordinate] argillaceous rocks.