Westropp— ^^<r^y Forts and Sioim Ilutu hi InisIminrPi Aran. 187 



eastern slope below, where its full size can bo appreciated. The builders took 

 advantage of a natural platform for the centre fort and, in part, of a low 

 roek-ridgo fen- the outer wall to the east, but to the soutli-wcst the latter wall 

 disregards defensive linos and drops into a gi-assy depi'cssion in a very 

 irregular niannor. O'Donovan' describes the site in 1839, giving llie 

 dimensions of the inner fort as 91 feet north and soutli, 75 feet 6 inches east 

 and west, the wall being of three sections, 13 feet to IG feet high, and 11 feet 

 G inclies thick, the two outer divisions being of equal heiglit, S feet S inches 

 thick, the inner much broken, and 2 feet 7 inclies tliick. To tbe soulh 

 the outer section rose 7 feet 9 inches higher than the terrace, which was 

 7 feet above the garth. A flight ran from the terrace to the south ; another 

 ladder 4 feet 1 inclr wide, of wliich some seven steps remained, led up to tlie 

 terrace. To tlie west of this spot above the ladder some steps ran to the left : 

 they were 4 feet 1 inch broad, and 2 feet 9 inches deep ; he gives their heights, 

 which amount to 4 feet 5 inches. Another flight (now built up) ran from 

 tlie ground to the terrace at the north-east side : it had three steps, th(» 

 topmost broken by the falling stones, while some 20 feet from the last was 

 the broken gateway. The north-east section was internally much ruined. 

 In the area to the north was a round heap of stones, evidently a hut, as it 

 had oblong and oval cells, while to the south-east was another building 

 nearly destroyed. The outer ring had two sections, 5 feet 7 inches thick, 

 7 feet 9 inches to 12 feet high : it lay distant from the inner fort, 50 feet to 

 the east, 90 feet to the north-east, 50 to the south-west, and 39 feet to tlie 

 south ; the outer gateway was defaced. This seems the only good description 

 before the restoration. Lord Dunraven only adds a few details : the triple 

 wall of the inner fort is 15 feet 5 inches high to the west, and 14 feet to the 

 east. He notes the south-west flight as running up to the platform of the 

 terrace, the south flight from the terrace to the top of the wall ; its tirst step 

 was of two stones, the second of one, the third of three. The north-east 

 flight led up to the terrace and was nearly destroyed. The wall was 

 10 feet high inside at the south-west steps, their height 5 feet, and width 

 2 feet 4 inches, each being 6 inches hign and wide. He shows laildcr-steps 

 near the gateway, combined flights of steps to the south-west, and ladder- 

 steps to the south. He gives E, Burchell's view and plan of the south-west 

 steps; he also names three sections. The author of the notes (1S77) in the 

 " Irish Builder " says the masonry is of stones lying on their sides, not witli 

 their ends showing, as at Dun Aenghus. This is not absolutely correct, though 

 there is "stretcher" masonry at the gateway, and in llu^ lower pai't of luitii 



' Ordnance Survey Letter?, p. 230. 



