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Dundermot is a motte and bailey castle situated near Ballymana in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The earthwork comprises a prominent mound typical of Norman fortifications established in the twelfth century, with an adjoining bailey where timber or stone defensive structures once stood. Such fortified settlements were introduced to Ireland following the Anglo-Norman invasion and served as administrative and military strongholds for colonising lords across the landscape.
The motte rises from bedrock composed of Palaeogene extrusive rocks, the ancient volcanic material that forms the geological foundation of this region. The choice of location capitalised on the slightly elevated ground to enhance defensive visibility and control over the surrounding terrain, a common principle in motte and bailey siting.
Dundermot remains a significant surviving example of Norman fortification in the Ballymena area and is protected as a scheduled monument under the Historic Environment Division (reference 1847). The earthwork preserves evidence of medieval settlement patterns and the wider process of Anglo-Norman territorial establishment in medieval Ulster, making it an important archaeological record of this formative period in Irish history.
Dundermot. motte (and site of bailey) is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 1847. View the official record →
Dundermot is a motte and bailey castle situated near Ballymana in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 1847.
Dundermot. motte (and site of bailey) dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a motte & bailey. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Dundermot. motte (and site of bailey) 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 1847.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Platform rath & souterrain (2.3 km), Dungall. motte (4.3 km), Doonbought fort. castle & hilltop enclosure (4.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Dundermot. motte (and site of bailey)'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.
Dundermot. motte (and site of bailey) stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.