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Rath is a ringfort located near Lisburn, Northern Ireland. This earthwork monument consists of a circular or oval enclosure defined by raised banks and internal ditches, typical of Early Christian defensive settlements constructed between the fifth and twelfth centuries. The rath forms part of a pair of fortifications in this locality, suggesting a territorial arrangement or family grouping common to the period.
The monument sits on bedrock comprising Palaeogene extrusive rocks—mafic lava and mafic tuff formed during volcanic activity in the early Tertiary period. This geology, characteristic of the wider northeastern Irish landscape, would have influenced both the fort's construction and the drainage of its ditches. The raised banks and enclosing earthworks remain visible as landscape features today.
Rath is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 4653 as part of Northern Ireland's statutory heritage designation scheme. The presence of a paired rath in the immediate vicinity provides important context for understanding settlement patterns and social organisation in Early Christian Ulster. The monument survives as a key archaeological indicator of medieval occupation and land use in the Lisburn area.
Rath - one of rath pair (c.f. 060 is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 4653. View the official record →
Rath is a ringfort located near Lisburn, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 4653.
Rath - one of rath pair (c.f. 060 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 - one of rath pair (c.f. 060 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 4653.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Earthwork enclosure (5.6 km), Giant's grave. megalithic tomb (6.3 km), Castle robin. c17th fortified house built near motte & bailey (7.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Rath - one of rath pair (c.f. 060'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 - one of rath pair (c.f. 060 stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.