E.CHRIST. · RATH

Rath

Armagh, Northern Ireland
NISMR MonID 5574
Period
E.CHRIST.
Site type
RATH
Nation
Northern Ireland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)

Overview

History & significance

Rath, located in Armagh, Northern Ireland, is an Iron Age or Early Medieval ringfort characteristic of Irish defended homestead settlements. The site consists of a roughly circular earthwork enclosed by a bank and ditch, a fortification type widely distributed across Ireland and dating from the Iron Age through the medieval period. Such raths served as the domestic and defensive centres of individual families or small communities, their scale and construction reflecting the status and resources of their inhabitants. The survival of this example contributes to understanding settlement patterns and social organization in the Armagh region during prehistoric and early historic periods.

Rath is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 5574. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Rath?

Rath, located in Armagh, Northern Ireland, is an Iron Age or Early Medieval ringfort characteristic of Irish defended homestead settlements. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 5574.

What period does Rath date from?

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.

Who is responsible for protecting Rath?

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 5574.

What other scheduled monuments are near Rath?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Tower-house (0.9 km), Rath (1.1 km), Doogary lough. possible crannog in doogary lough (1.5 km).

Aubrey Research

Generate a full report for this location

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any address in the UK — drawing on scheduled monument data, Domesday records, Roman heritage, PAS finds and medieval history to reveal the complete story of a landscape.

Research the area around Rath