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Rath — a is an early Christian rath situated in Coleraine, Northern Ireland. The monument occupies ground underlain by Palaeogene extrusive rocks, a geology of mafic lava and tuff that shaped the landscape during the early Tertiary period. This volcanic bedrock would have influenced both the settlement's drainage and the availability of building stone in the vicinity.
Raths are univallate or multivallate earthwork enclosures characteristic of early medieval Ireland, typically serving as the domestic and defensive centres of élite or warrior households. Built and occupied primarily between the 5th and 10th centuries, they comprise circular banks and ditches often containing evidence of timber or stone structures. This example at Coleraine represents the settlement pattern established during the early Christian period in the north of Ireland.
The monument is protected by the Historic Environment Division of the Department for Communities under reference number 11602, ensuring its preservation and recognition as a significant archaeological resource. The site contributes to understanding early medieval settlement, social hierarchy and land use across the north-eastern Irish landscape during the early Christian centuries.
Rath is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 11602. View the official record →
Rath — a is an early Christian rath situated in Coleraine, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 11602.
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.
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 11602.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Piper's hill. long mound (1.8 km), Counterscarp rath (3.9 km), Mound, possibly signal mound (4.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of 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.
Rath stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.