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Western Stone Forts

Property names are listed in the language in which they have been submitted by the State Party.

Ireland (Europe and North America)
Date of Submission: 28/09/1992
Category: Cultural
Submited by: National Monuments & Historic Properties Service
Coordinates: Western Ireland
Ref.: 305

Description

There are up to forty large stone forts spread throughout the western counties of Ireland. They span a period of time from the Bronze Age through to the Medieval Period. The forts are of dry-stone construction,with massive walls of large quarried blocks of stone. The forts display a variety in both form and location. They can be found on hilltops, plains or perched on a cliff edge as at Dun Aonghasa on the westernmost extremities of Europe. They vary also from single to triple enclosures with a variety of assiociated structures and field systems. However, what they have in common is the massive nature of their masonry.