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# Rath, Magherafelt
Rath, Magherafelt is a fortified residence of early Christian date, protected as a scheduled monument by the Historic Environment Division under reference 12892. The site occupies land above bedrock composed of Palaeogene extrusive rocks—mafic lava and tuff formed during volcanic activity in the early Tertiary period. This geological foundation has shaped the landscape of the Magherafelt area for over sixty million years.
The monument represents a common form of settlement in early medieval Ireland, typically consisting of a circular or oval earthwork enclosure surrounded by one or more banks and ditches. Such raths served as farmsteads and fortified homesteads for families of rank during the period from the 5th to 12th centuries. The precise date and duration of occupation at this particular site remain to be determined by archaeological investigation.
The rath's survival in the Magherafelt landscape testifies to the enduring settlement pattern of the region throughout the early Christian period. Its legal protection ensures that the earthwork remains available for future archaeological study and preserves an important element of Northern Ireland's early medieval heritage.
Rath is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 12892. View the official record →
# Rath, Magherafelt Rath, Magherafelt is a fortified residence of early Christian date, protected as a scheduled monument by the Historic Environment Division under reference 12892.
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 12892.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Barrow (1.9 km), Counterscarp rath (2 km), Crannog (2.9 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.