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Motte is a raised earthwork monument located in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The structure sits upon bedrock of Palaeogene age, formed from mafic lavas and tuffs that characterise the volcanic geology of this region. The mound's form suggests either a medieval motte, a characteristic ringwork defensive structure of the Norman period, or possibly a raised rath of earlier Irish origin. The monument is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 3059.
Medieval mottes typically served as the stronghold of a Norman lord, their elevated position providing both defensive advantage and visible assertion of authority across the surrounding landscape. The volcanic bedrock at this location would have provided a naturally stable foundation for such an earthwork, though the precise mechanics of the mound's construction remain undocumented. The ambiguity between motte and raised rath classification reflects the difficulty in dating earthworks of this type without excavation or definitive documentary evidence.
The survival of this monument in the modern Antrim landscape represents an important record of medieval settlement and land use in Northern Ireland. Its protected status ensures that the earthwork remains available for future archaeological investigation and study.
Motte (or raised rath?) is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 3059. View the official record →
Motte is a raised earthwork monument located in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 3059.
Motte (or raised rath?) dates from the e.christ. period, and is classified as a mound. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Motte (or raised 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 3059.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Kilmakee stone circle. cairn ('stone circle') (5.8 km), Mound - raised rath? (6 km), Raised rath (7.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Motte (or raised 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.
Motte (or raised rath?) stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.