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Platform rath is a platform rath located in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. This type of earthwork monument, characteristic of early Christian Ireland, comprises a levelled or deliberately raised platform, typically circular or oval in plan, which would have served as the foundation for domestic or secular buildings. The rath at this location is situated on bedrock composed of Palaeogene extrusive rocks—mafic lavas and tuffs—which form the underlying geology of this part of Antrim. This volcanic bedrock would have influenced both the construction techniques employed and the drainage properties of the site.
Platform raths of this kind represent a form of settlement dating from the early medieval period, when such structures functioned as the residences of minor lords or wealthy farmers. The levelled platform afforded practical advantages, creating usable domestic space whilst offering a degree of elevation above the surrounding terrain. The distinctive geology of the site, with its hard volcanic bedrock, shaped the local landscape and the resources available to the rath's builders.
The monument is recorded and protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 4076, ensuring its preservation for future study and public access.
Platform rath is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 4076. View the official record →
Platform rath is a platform rath located in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 4076.
Platform 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.
Platform 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 4076.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Counterscarp platform rath (6.1 km), Counterscarp rath (6.4 km), The bohill stone, bochell stone, bowhill stone. round cairn & standing stone (6.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Platform 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.
Platform rath stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.