The Landscape of Mottes in Co. Louth
included in the calculation, the percentage of mottes sited along routes of movement is sixty–six percent.
Figure 5—Mottes related to route–ways and major settlements in Co. Louth.
Mottes on routeways range in height from 4 m – 8.7 m. Most of these would have boasted excellent views over the surrounding area and could have controlled movement on the routes they covered. Of the fifteen mottes connected to routeways (Figure 5), forty–seven percent possess baileys and are slightly higher than those examples that lack one. The mottes missing a bailey do not seem to distinguish themselves from the ones with a bailey in any way. Some have obvious supporting settlements, such as at Piperstown, which is situated beside a deserted medieval village (Barry 2000, 113). Others guard possible fords, as is the case with Stephenstown and Castlecarragh. A number of the routeway mottes were not in an area with a known route. However, the quantity of medieval routes in Co. Louth is unknown and as the mottes in question display all the characteristics of mottes on routeways, they have been included in the group. One such example is Dellin, a possible motte and bailey recorded only as a crop–mark. It may have been connected to the medieval road from Dundalk to Drogheda, but it seems to be situated too far inland for this to be the case (Orpen 1968, 125). Dromin, on the other hand, is situated on a bend of the River Dee, once again highlighting the Anglo–Norman desire to oversee and control routes of movement. The same applies to Drumcashel, which in its heyday would have commanded a good view of the surrounding landscape, probably overlooking the course of the river. The site at Drumcashel is today overgrown and it is difficult to estimate the extent of the original line of sight.
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