Moatfield

4 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Moatfield, from 836 m² to 40,279 m² (4.03 ha, 9.95 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 5 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings; GeoJSON or KML.

• S3Social/Community/Education/Public Utility (Community facilities)
  LONGFORD COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2021-2027, Longford · 2 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• G5Recreation/Amenity/Green Space (Mixed/general 'green'/recreation/conservation, other)
  LONGFORD COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2021-2027, Longford · 2 parcels The zoning objective in the plan

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

No planning application touches the townland of Moatfield in the national file, which goes back to 2010.

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches the townland of Moatfield.

Recorded monuments

• LF010-080001 Castle - motte and bailey
  Description

  National Monument No. 263. On top of a hill in pasture with impressive panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and overlooking the historic town of Granard (LF010-055----) c. 220m to the NE. Built within a hillfort (LF010-080002-) (Bradley et al. 1985, 18), it was constructed by Richard de Tuit in 1199 in order to suppress the O'Reilly's of S Breffny and as a frontier castle on the NW border of the Anglo-Norman lordship of Meath (Orpen 1911, vol. 2, 90, 128). In 1210 King John stayed here during his campaign against Hugh de Lacy (Orpen ibid., 262; Bradley et al. 1985, 15). It is the most likely location of the inauguration site (LF010-080003-) of the O'Farrells (Bán) (Bradley et al. ibid., 16; Fitzpatrick 2004, 21-2). The monument comprises a high, subcircular, steep-sided mound (H c. 9-11m; dims. at base c. 50m ENE-WSW; c. 40m NNW-SSE) with a large D-shaped bailey (c. 150m ENE-WSW; c. 50m NNW-SSE) adjoining it from ESE-S-WSW; there is no fosse separating them. Upon the relatively level summit (27m NNW-SSE; 22m ENE-WSW), which is c. 4m above the level of the bailey, are an OS trigonometrical station and a statue of St Patrick, erected in June 1932. The ‘foundations of a shell wall round the top of the motte, and of a small round tower in the centre’ were noted in the early 20th century (Armitage 1912, 338-9): there is no visible trace of any of these features. A grotto was built into the N side of the monument in 1925 in the course of which a large quantity of stone was removed (using explosives) (SMR file). From WSW-N-ENE the base of the motte is encircled by a wide, deep, steep-sided, rock-cut fosse (Wth 10.5m; D 3.5m) with a wide, high, steep-sided external bank (Wth 8m; H 2.9m). The bailey is defined by the remains of an inner bank of earth and stone, a wide, deep, intervening fosse (Wth c. 12m) and a wide, high outer bank (Wth c. 10m; H c. 2m). The fragmentary remains of a later castle (LF010-080004-) are visible in the SE face of the motte. A medieval church (LF010-055001-) and graveyard (LF010-055002-) lie c. 100m to the N. (Westropp 1904, 323-4; Kearney 1969, 18-23; English 1971, 152; O'Donovan 2003, 31; Burns and Grier 2002, 144-5) Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan Date of upload: 17 April 2012

• LF010-080002 Hillfort
  Description

  National Monument No. 263. On a prominent hill c. 200m to the SW of Granard town (LF010-055----). The summit of the hill is occupied by a motte and bailey (LF010-080001-). It has been suggested that the latter may have been constructed within a much-larger, pre-existing enclosure, perhaps a hillfort or monastic enclosure (Bradley et al. 1985, 18; K. O’Conor pers. comm.). The enclosure, a large oval-shaped area (c. 220m NNW–SSE; c. 170m ENE–WSW), is evident on aerial photographs (Photographic Unit, NMS) and the 1837 and 1914 editions of the OS 6-inch map. From NNW–N–SSE its footprint can be traced in the curvilinear circuit of a series of field boundaries that also serve as townland boundaries. From SSE–S–WNW it survives as a bank of earth and stone (Wth 5.9m; H 1-2.1m) at the outer edge of the fosse at the base of the bailey. It is best preserved at SW. This bank may mark the re-use of the original enclosing element by the builders of the motte and bailey. The motte at Granard was probably the inauguration site for the Ó Fearghaill Bán from the 14th to the 16th centuries (LF010-080003-). Recently described in the Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland as following; 'Possible contour fort positioned on the summit of prominent hill, overlooking Granard town and River Rhine. Summit of hill is occupied by a Medieval motte and bailey castle. The hillfort surrounds these later features and has a total site foot print of 1.8ha. Univallate for the entire circuit with a possible out-turned entrance to the NW. The later features on the hilltop are likely to have destroyed or masked features that may be contemporary with the hillfort. Rampart survives well at SW. The majority of the enclosing elements are incorporated into curvilinear field systems to the N, E and S. The interior is under pasture. Forestry abuts the enclosing elements to the N. First map depiction in first edition Ordnance Survey mapping. More detailed earthwork survey in second edition Ordnance Survey maps. The enclosing elements might relate to a Medieval motte and bailey castle and outworks, although the enclosed area is much bigger than an average monument of this type. Hillfort located in townland of Moatfield. The enclosing elements at the N and NE form the townland boundary between Moatfield and Granard. Rathcronan townland abuts the enclosing elements to the E. S and SE sections of enclosing features act as the townland boundary between Moatfield and Teemore. Medieval motte and bailey castle. This has largely disturbed the interior of the earlier hillfort. No visible surface features contemporary with the hillfort.' (http://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk/records/IR0688.html) Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 6 February 2020

• LF010-080003 Inauguration site
  Description

  National Monument No. 263. The motte and bailey (LF010-080001-) is almost certainly the location of the inauguration place of O’Farrall clan (Bradley et al. 1985, 16; FitzPatrick 2004, 209). In 1475 Seán Ó Fearghail, Chief of Annaly, died here immediately after his inauguration feast and he was subsequently buried at the Cistercian abbey (LF011-036001-) in Abbeylara (Farrell 1891, 24). In 1489 the Lord Justice of Ireland divided the chieftainship of Annaly between the sons of Seán and the sons of Cathal (Farrell 1891, 24). Following the division of the sept and lands c. 1516, the O’Farralls (Bán) held the lordship of N Annaly, an area corresponding to the N and E of the modern county Longford (FitzPatrick 2004, 209), and retained the motte and bailey, Ráith Granaird (Granard), as their inauguration site. (Westropp 1904, 323-4; Kearney 1969, 18-23; English 1971, 152; Anon. 2002b, 144-5) Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan, Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 17 April 2012

• LF010-080004 Castle - unclassified
  Description

  National Monument No. 263. William Ó Fearghail (O’Farrell) is recorded as having built a ‘castle’ at Granard in 1405 (Ó hInnse 1947, 175). This castle was taken by English forces in 1420 who soon after abandoned it. The annals note that O’Farrell ‘demolished it for fear of their occupying it again’ (Ann. Conn., 455). A castle at Granard is mentioned in grants to Francis Shane in 1593 (Cal. pat. rolls Ire., Eliz.) and in 1608 (Pat. rolls Ire., Jas I, 499-500), and this is probably the same castle that is noted in the list of lands surrendered to the Crown in 1619 (ibid., 452). An early 17th-century map of Granard barony (BL, Cotton MS Augustus I.i.47) depicts a castle standing on top of the hill at Granard in the area where the motte and bailey (LF010-080001-) are located. Some remains clearly survived into the 19th century as O’Donovan records: that ‘It is said that this moat was opened about fifty years ago, and that the arched vaults of a castle were found within it, built of beautiful square stones, which were well cemented with lime and sand mortar’ (AFM vol. 3, 388-9). The grass-covered remains of this castle can still be seen at the base of the SE side of the motte where a short stretch of walling, 2–3 courses high, has been recorded (Bradley et al. 1985, 18). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 17 April 2012

Architectural heritage

No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands in the townland of Moatfield.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Radon

About 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

Susceptibility moderately low, low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Moatfield.

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

No address of the register names Moatfield with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Longford.

Name

Moatfield · Páirc an Mhóta

Area

71,374 m² (7.14 ha, 17.64 acres)

Civil parish

Granard, and its townlands

Barony

Granard

Electoral division

Granard Urban, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Granard Urban electoral division: 1,268 people in 494 households; 47% of households own their home; 38% of homes were built since 2001; 13% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 1% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Granard, Granardkill, Teemore

Placenames

Moatfield on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address; old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.