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Two Early Christian Raths is a pair of enclosed homesteads situated near Lisburn in County Antrim. One rath is defended by a single bank and ditch, whilst its companion feature is bivallate, meaning it possessed two concentric earthen ramparts—a more elaborate fortification typical of higher-status occupation. The bivallate example is further distinguished by the presence of a decorated stone, suggesting occupants of considerable standing within early medieval society. These monuments date to the Early Christian period, when such ringforts served as the residences and administrative centres of local lords and their households across Ireland. The site is founded upon Mercia Mudstone Group bedrock, which outcrops as mudstone, sandstone and limestone in this region. The dual arrangement may represent sequential occupation or contemporary settlement by related families. Both earthworks remain archaeologically significant records of domestic life and social organisation in early medieval Ulster. The monuments are protected under the Historic Environment Division of Northern Ireland under monument reference 4969.
Two raths - 1 bivallate, 1 univallate & decorated stone is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 4969. View the official record →
Two Early Christian Raths is a pair of enclosed homesteads situated near Lisburn in County Antrim. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 4969.
Two raths - 1 bivallate, 1 univallate & decorated stone dates from the e.christ. period, and is classified as a rath pair. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Two raths - 1 bivallate, 1 univallate & decorated stone 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 4969.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Lisburn castle, castle gardens, lisnagarvey. castle later artillery fort (site of) & gate (3.7 km), Barrow (3.8 km), Lock 12, the island. canal lock, part of the lagan navigation - c.f. ihr 2680 (3.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Two raths - 1 bivallate, 1 univallate & decorated stone'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.
Two raths - 1 bivallate, 1 univallate & decorated stone stands on Mercia Mudstone Group, bedrock that formed in the Rhaetian. The rock here is mudstone, sandstone and limestone.