© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)
Counterscarp Rath is an Early Christian rath situated near Lisburn in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The monument comprises a circular or oval enclosure defined by a bank and ditch, a characteristic settlement type of early medieval Ireland dating from the fifth to twelfth centuries. Raths served as defended homesteads for farming families of varying social status, with the earthwork defences providing protection for livestock and domestic structures within.
The site lies on bedrock of the Gala Group, a wacke formation of Telychian age, which would have presented significant challenges to the original constructors in forming the ditch. The name "Counterscarp" reflects the presence of an additional outer bank or facing, a feature that enhanced the defensive capability of the fortification. The ditch and counterscarp together created a more formidable barrier than simple earthwork raths elsewhere in the region.
The monument is protected under the Historic Environment Division's statutory protection scheme (reference 7476), recognising its archaeological and historical significance as evidence of Early Christian settlement patterns and land use in the Lisburn area. The survival of the earthwork allows for the study of settlement organisation, construction techniques, and the interaction between communities and the local landscape during the early medieval period.
Counterscarp rath is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 7476. View the official record →
Counterscarp Rath is an Early Christian rath situated near Lisburn in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 7476.
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 7476.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cashel (1.1 km), Rath (1.6 km), Cup-marked stone (1.6 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 Gala Group, bedrock that formed in the Telychian. The rock here is wacke.