Ring forts

guinnessdrinker

Can anyone give me any information on ring or fairy forts, as in how old are they and what type of people lived in them and what they looked like when people were living there.

I am a complete novice in this area but for some reason have started to develop an interest in them.

boneless

guinnessdrinker wrote:

Can anyone give me any information on ring or fairy forts, as in how old are they and what type of people lived in them and what they looked like when people were living there.

I am a complete novice in this area but for some reason have started to develop an interest in them.

They are reckoned to from the early medieval period but some may have Iron Age origins. It would take too long to deal with the subject here so this is a recommendation below:

Matt Stout wrote a monograph on them in the Irish Settlement Studies series published by Four Courts Press. "The Irish Ringfort", (1997), ISBN 1-85182-582-7. It is reckoned to be the most comprehensive work on the subject. He deals with all the issues you mentioned above and also posits some theories of his own as regards to spatial distribution.

I think it is most public libraries.

guinnessdrinker

Thats brilliant Boneless, going to look for that book, thanks a million!

boneless

No problem Mate!! If you do have trouble finding it give me a shout, I have a copy.

Crowhill

You might also try the Nancy Edwards book:

1990 Archaeology of Early Medieval Ireland, Batsford/Routledge, London, reprinted 1996, 1999, 2001, 2004.

If I recall correctly, the first chapter is on Ring forts, it is IMO an easier read than the Stout publication.

Dave.

RuggieBear

boneless wrote:

They are reckoned to from the early medieval period but some may have Iron Age origins. It would take too long to deal with the subject here so this is a recommendation below:

Matt Stout wrote a monograph on them in the Irish Settlement Studies series published by Four Courts Press. "The Irish Ringfort", (1997), ISBN 1-85182-582-7. It is reckoned to be the most comprehensive work on the subject. He deals with all the issues you mentioned above and also posits some theories of his own as regards to spatial distribution.

I think it is most public libraries.

I believe the book is based on his PhD at the Dept of Geography in TCD. I'm sure you could get a look at it if you really like. There is another PhD by Robert Legg who did an "update" on the spatial distribution of ringforts a year or so ago. Also in the Geog Dept in TCD.

boneless

RuggieBear wrote:

I believe the book is based on his PhD at the Dept of Geography in TCD. I'm sure you could get a look at it if you really like. There is another PhD by Robert Legg who did an "update" on the spatial distribution of ringforts a year or so ago. Also in the Geog Dept in TCD.

I wasn't aware of the latter PhD thesis; thanks for the tip!!

Did Nancy Edwards update the data in her work? The copy I have is an early edition and to be honest I found it a bit pedestrian.

RuggieBear

boneless wrote:

I wasn't aware of the latter PhD thesis; thanks for the tip!!

Did Nancy Edwards update the data in her work? The copy I have is an early edition and to be honest I found it a bit pedestrian.

tbh, i wouldn't really know a huge amount. I know about rob's work we shared an offce in TCD for 3 years:D

Riamfada

Loyd Laing wrote a comprehensive book (2005) Celtic Ireland and Britain 400 - 1400 AD which is very useful for all types of early medieval settlement