Bigfurze
Townland in the civil parish of Rathconrath, barony of Rathconrath, Co. Westmeath
Parcel 90131
- Area
- 497,017 m² (49.7 ha, 122.82 acres)
- Buildings
- 4 buildings touch it, 332 m² on the ground
- Zoning
- No zone of a development plan covers it in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply.
- Townland
- Bigfurze
Planning applications on this parcel
No planning application touches this parcel 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 this parcel.
Recorded monuments around it
This parcel is in the zone of notification of 5 recorded monuments.
- WM017-023 Ringfort - rath
Description
Situated on a slight natural rise, in wet, gently undulating pasture. Depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as an oval shaped tree-lined enclosure (dims. 47m E-W; 43m N-S) defined by a bank with external fosse, on the W-side of an irregular-shaped field. Annotated as a ‘fort’ on the 1837 OS Fair Plan map. Depicted on the revised 1913 ed. OS 25-inch map as a slightly less regular, oval shaped mound with isolated, linear field boundaries which lie c. 28m to SW and c. 70m to S, respectively. No surface remains visible of levelled monument. No obvious trace visible on modern aerial photography; forestry planted c. 16m to W, c. 30m to NE and c. 75m to SE (Digital Globe; Bing; Google Earth 24/03/2017). Site described by OPW in 1966 as a roughly circular, yet irregular-shaped area defined by a low, tree-lined bank with internal stone facing. Vague traces of small buildings within the interior (considered to be farm buildings) and extensive remains of old field-banks and tillage ridges in the vicinity of the exterior. Monument described by the ASI in 1975 as ‘demolished’. The traces of small buildings within the interior of the ringfort described in 1966 may be the remains of a hut site (WM017-023001-) of uncertain antiquity. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 30 November 2018
- WM017-023001 Hut site
Description
Situated on a slight natural rise, in wet, gently undulating pasture. No surface remains visible of levelled ringfort (WM017-023----). Upstanding monument described by OPW in 1966 as a roughly circular, yet irregular-shaped area defined by a low, tree-lined bank with internal stone facing. Vague traces of small buildings within the interior (considered to be farm buildings) and extensive remains of old field-banks and tillage ridges in the vicinity of the exterior. The traces of small buildings within the interior of the ringfort described in 1966 may be the remains of a hut site of uncertain antiquity. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 30 November 2018
- WM017-039 Souterrain
Description
Situated on a low rise, at the W end of an irregular-shaped ridge (long-axis E-W), in pasture with extensive views in all directions. Depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as a small, irregular-shaped area, annotated as 'Cave', which stands immediately E of a public road running NNE-SSW. In 1970 the monument was described as an inaccessible souterrain with no local tradition known. Described in 1980 as a small stone-lined cutting in the N side of a low rise (approx. dims. 40m N-S; 23m E-W). A small, irregular hole has been dug into the top of the rise (by burrowing animals), c. 9m from the roadside fence. This has exposed some stones which could be part of a souterrain, however it is difficult to confirm due to disturbance by a burrow. There is loose stone scattered on the surface of the natural rise. A small stretch of very low scarp on the NE edge of the rise could define the perimeter of an earthwork but this is very indefinite and could be the remnants of old cultivation ridges running ENE-WSW which traverses the area. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 05 December 2018
- WM017-039001 Ringfort - unclassified
Description
Situated on a low rise, at the W end of an irregular ridge (long-axis E-W), in pasture with extensive views in all directions. Not depicted on any OS historic mapping. In 1980 an ASI field report noted a small stretch of very low scarp at the NE edge of the natural rise and suggested that it could potentially define the perimeter of an earthwork. The fieldworker through that it was indefinite and could also be the remains of a residual feature of the cultivation ridges. However the outline of a circular shaped enclosure is visible on Digital Globe photography as a light-green circular cropmark (approx. diam. 54m) enclosing a dark area of rough pasture within the interior. Old cultivation ridges running ENE-WSW are also seen respecting the cropmark of the enclosure suggesting that it was extant before the ridges were formed. A public road running NE-SW truncates the NW sector of the monument. A souterrain (WM017-039----) is located in the W quadrant of this enclosure. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 05 December 2018
- WM017-040 Ringfort - rath
Description
Situated on a low, natural rise, in generally level pasture with extensive views in all directions. Depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as the remains of an oval-shaped enclosure which has been truncated by a laneway to N and a building to E. Monument described in 1980 as a roughly circular-shaped area (approx. dims. 29ms NNW-SSE; 29.5m ENE-WSW) defined by an earth and stone bank which is best preserved from SSE-S-W, is slightly lower from SW-W. The bank is reduced to a scarp NW-N-SE. The remains of internal stone facing are visible at SW and W. There is no sign of an entrance. There is no visible trace of an external fosse. The perimeter has been modified from N-E-SE by a modern stone wall and a small shed associated with a house to SSE. The stone wall defines a laneway (long-axis WNW-ESE) to N, which leads to the house. The interior rises slightly from the perimeter towards the centre and is very uneven. There is a depression in the centre and off-centre to E caused by disturbance which has exposed stone within. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 05 December 2018
Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. 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).
Download this parcel: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its neighbours and buildings, for a drawing program; GeoJSON, in WGS 84, for a map.
Registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. A parcel is the land of a title, not an address. The owner's name is in the Land Registry of Tailte Éireann: a copy of the folio can be ordered on landdirect.ie, for a fee.
- Area
- 46.2 ha
- 114 acres
- Land parcels
- 2
- registered freehold, median 231,179 m² (23.12 ha, 57.13 acres)
- Zoning
- —
- not in a zoned settlement
- Planning
- 0
- applications since 2010
Land parcels
Registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann
2 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Bigfurze, from 154,733 m² (15.47 ha, 38.24 acres) to 307,624 m² (30.76 ha, 76.02 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 7 neighbouring parcels touch it.
Zoning
Development plans, national zoning
No zone of a development plan covers Bigfurze in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply to each application.
Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.
Planning applications
Sites that touch the townland, newest first
No planning application touches the townland of Bigfurze 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.
Nature and heritage
Designated sites and recorded monuments
Designated sites
No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches the townland of Bigfurze.
Recorded monuments
- WM017-019 Barrow - unclassified
Description
Situated on a slight natural rise, in gently undulating, wet pasture with good views in all directions. Depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as an oval-shaped area (dims. 17m E-W; 14m N-S) defined by a scarp. Remains consist of a roughly circular-shaped mound defined by a low bank of earth & stone from NE-W and incorporating some rock outcrop at NNW. The top of the mound (dims. 8m E-W; 7.5m N-S) is slightly concave with a gentle N-facing slope and is occupied by thorn trees. Field clearance stones have been deposited on the sides of the mound and within the interior. A possible barrow (WM017-020----) lies c. 37m to E. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 28 November 2018
- WM017-020 Barrow - unclassified
Description
Situated on a low rise, in gently undulating, wet pasture with good views in all directions. Depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as a sub-oval shaped area (dims. 26m N-S; 25.5m E-W) defined by a bank and truncated by a trackway across the NE sector. Remains consist of a small earthen mound (diam. 8m) defined by a low bank-like feature which is enclosed by a fosse-like feature WNW-NW, which may be accentuated by an enclosing wall of modern appearance which defines a larger enclosure. The relatively modern stone wall is built against a low scarp visible from W-NE. The remains of a low earthen bank defined the upper edge of the scarp at S and SW. The top of the mound has a large, shallow depression and there are further indents in the side of the mound at NE, E and W, all owing to disturbance. The perimeter is overgrown with trees & thorn bushes. The interior has some thorn bushes and boulders have been deposited at SW. According to local tradition there is a ‘cave’ at or near the site which may represent a possible souterrain. A possible barrow (WM017-019----) lies c. 37m to W. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 28 November 2018
- WM017-021 Ringfort - rath
Description
Situated on a slight knoll, in low lying pasture, overlooking a stream c. 85m to W. A sub-rectangular shaped area (21m N-S; 20m E-W) defined by the remains of a low bank of earth and stone which is best preserved to S and W. A gap (Wth 2.7m) at W may represent an entrance. The interior rises steadily from the perimeter to the centre where the remains of a rectangular house (WM017-021001-) are located. A forestry plantation is located c. 55m to E. Compiled by: Alison McQueen Date of upload: 23 November 2018
- WM017-021001 Hut site
Description
Situated on a slight knoll, in low lying pasture, overlooking a stream c. 85m to W. Ringfort (WM017-021----) interior rises steadily from the perimeter to the centre where the remains of a rectangular hut site (dims. 6m N-S x 5m E-W) are visible. The foundations of the hut site are defined by some bumps and hollows in the ground on N side and by a low earthen bank on S. There are also some boulders and loose stones on the site. A forestry plantation is located c. 55m to E. Compiled by: Alison McQueen Date of upload: 23 November 2018
Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. 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).
Homes sold
Property Price Register
No address of the register names Bigfurze with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Westmeath.
The townland
- Name
- Bigfurze
- Area
- 461,978 m² (46.2 ha, 114.16 acres)
- Civil parish
- Rathconrath, and its townlands
- Barony
- Rathconrath
- Electoral division
- Skeagh, the unit of the census
- Neighbouring townlands
- Corkan, Lisnacask, Modranstown, Rathcastle, Rowlandstown
- Placenames
- Bigfurze on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland
Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, 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.