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Rath is an early Christian ringfort situated in the townland of Newry and Mourne, Northern Ireland. The monument is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference number 8652. Ringforts of this type are characteristic of early Christian settlement in Ireland, typically comprising an enclosed dwelling area defined by one or more earthen or stone banks, often accompanied by an external ditch.
The site is founded upon bedrock composed of a Late Silurian to Early Devonian felsic igneous intrusion, formed during the Early Devonian period. This underlying geology of hard, light-coloured igneous rock would have influenced both the constructability of the earthworks and the character of the surrounding landscape, which remains significant to understanding settlement patterns in this region.
Early Christian raths served as defended homesteads and centres of local authority, combining domestic, agricultural and sometimes ecclesiastical functions. The construction and occupation of ringforts such as this one reflects the social organisation and economic practices of early Christian Ireland, a period spanning roughly the fifth to tenth centuries. The monument's survival and statutory protection preserve evidence of this formative period in Irish cultural development.
Rath is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 8652. View the official record →
Rath is an early Christian ringfort situated in the townland of Newry and Mourne, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 8652.
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 8652.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Carrigakill. court tomb (6.2 km), Ballyvally rath. counterscarp rath (6.4 km), Court tomb (6.5 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 Igneous Intrusion, Late Silurian To Early Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is felsic-rock.