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Raised rath is an early Christian rath located in County Down, Northern Ireland. The monument sits upon bedrock of the Hawick Group, a formation of wacke deposited during the Wenlock period of the Silurian era. This ancient geology provided a stable foundation for the circular earthwork that would later be constructed at this location.
The rath itself represents a domestic settlement type common throughout early Christian Ireland, typically comprising a circular or subcircular enclosure defended by a bank and ditch. Such structures served as the fortified homesteads of the Hiberno-Irish elite, providing both protection and a visible assertion of status within the landscape. The raised character of this example indicates substantial earthworks that would have presented a commanding aspect above the surrounding terrain of County Down.
The site is now protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 8559, ensuring the preservation of this archaeological monument for future study and public understanding. Raths remain among the most numerous field monuments in Ireland, and individual examples such as this contribute significantly to knowledge of settlement patterns, land use and social organisation during the early Christian period.
Raised rath is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 8559. View the official record →
Raised rath is an early Christian rath located in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 8559.
Raised 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.
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 8559.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Corbelled pig crew (1 km), Tower-house (1.5 km), Clachan (1.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of 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.
Raised rath stands on Hawick Group, bedrock that formed in the Wenlock. The rock here is wacke.