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Counterscarp rath is a early Christian rath located near Lisburn in Northern Ireland. The monument sits upon bedrock of Palaeogene extrusive rocks, a foundation of ancient mafic lava and tuff formed during the Paleogene period. This geological setting, characteristic of the north-east Irish landscape, has shaped the site's drainage and topography since the monument's construction.
As an early Christian rath, Counterscarp represents a residential and defensive settlement type common throughout Ireland from around the fifth century onwards. Raths were typically enclosed farmsteads, their defining feature being a circular or oval earthwork enclosure created by one or more banks and ditches. The counterscarp—the outer slope of the outer ditch—gives this particular example its archaeological name, indicating the preservation of this structural element.
The site is protected as a monument of historical importance by the Historic Environment Division under reference 4844, reflecting its significance as evidence of early medieval settlement and social organisation in the Lisburn area. Such monuments contribute substantially to understanding the patterns of early Christian settlement, land use and community structure across the Irish landscape during this formative period.
Counterscarp rath is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 4844. View the official record →
Counterscarp rath is a early Christian rath located near Lisburn in Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 4844.
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 4844.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Giant's grave. megalithic tomb (1.8 km), Bivallate rath (2.1 km), Barrow (3.3 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 Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.