© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)
Rath — a is an early Christian rath in County Down, Northern Ireland. Raths are small ringforts characteristic of the Irish landscape, typically comprising a circular or oval enclosure defined by a bank and ditch, serving as the defended residence of a farming family or minor nobility. The monument sits upon bedrock of the Gala Group, wacke deposits formed during the Telychian period of the Ordovician, which would have provided a solid foundation for the earthwork's construction. The site's geology reflects the ancient bedrock of this region, though weathering and soil development have modified the surface substantially since the monument's construction.
The early Christian period saw many such raths established or reused across Ireland, often serving as the households of Christian families or monks. The morphology of raths in this part of Down suggests settlement patterns focused on fertile lowland and coastal areas where agriculture could sustain permanent occupation. The monument remains a significant archaeological record of domestic settlement and land use during the early medieval period.
The rath is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 7156, acknowledging its importance to the archaeological and historical heritage of County Down.
Rath is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 7156. View the official record →
Rath — a is an early Christian rath in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 7156.
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 7156.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Counterscarp rath (3.5 km), Magheradrool fort. counterscarp rath (3.6 km), Rath (5.6 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 Gala Group, bedrock that formed in the Telychian. The rock here is wacke.