© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)
Spence's Fort Rath is an Early Christian rath located in Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The monument comprises a roughly circular earthwork enclosed by a bank and ditch, characteristic of the rath form that served as the domestic and defensive centre of an aristocratic Irish settlement during the Early Christian period. Such sites were typically occupied from the fifth century onwards and functioned as the residence of a local lord and his household, with the earthwork providing both symbolic and practical demarcation of high-status settlement. The rath at Spence's Fort represents an important survival of Early Christian settlement archaeology in the wider Lisburn area.
Spence's fort. rath is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 5082. View the official record →
Spence's Fort Rath is an Early Christian rath located in Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 5082.
Spence's fort. 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.
Spence's fort. 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 5082.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Bivallate rath (2.4 km), Lagan canal. lagan canal (3.1 km), Batemans land. henge (3.8 km).
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 Spence's fort. rath