UNCERTAIN · MOUND

The moat. mound

Magherafelt, Northern Ireland
NISMR MonID 13141
Period
UNCERTAIN
Site type
MOUND
Nation
Northern Ireland
The designation
Reference
NISMR MonID 13141
Authority
DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)
Grid reference
H9092086900
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

The moat and mound at Magherafelt is an uncertain mound situated in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. The monument lies on Palaeogene bedrock composed of mafic lava and mafic tuff, unnamed extrusive rocks formed during the Palaeogene period. This geological foundation has shaped the landscape in which the earthwork was constructed. The site is protected under Historic Environment Division reference 13141.

Medieval moats and mounds served defensive and domestic purposes across the British Isles, typically comprising a ditch with an internal or external bank supporting a timber structure. The term "uncertain" reflects the difficulty in determining the precise function and date of this particular earthwork without excavation or detailed survey.

The monument survives as an earthwork feature within its local topography. Its preservation under statutory protection recognises its potential archaeological significance and contribution to understanding settlement patterns in medieval Ulster. The site requires careful management to ensure the integrity of the earthwork remains intact for future study and interpretation.

The moat. mound is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 13141. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is The moat. mound?

The moat and mound at Magherafelt is an uncertain mound situated in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 13141.

What period does The moat. mound date from?

The moat. mound dates from the uncertain period, and is classified as a mound. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting The moat. mound?

The moat. mound 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 13141.

What other scheduled monuments are near The moat. mound?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Rath (2.5 km), Bivallate rath (3.4 km), Counterscarp rath (3.6 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about The moat. mound

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of The moat. mound's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman World
Ireland was never conquered by Rome, so this traces the island's Iron Age kingdoms and its contact with the Roman world.
Historic Records
The 19th-century records of this place: valuations, Ordnance Survey memoirs and topographical accounts.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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The ground beneath

The bedrock under The moat. mound

The moat. mound stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.