Remains of a Hill Fort at Brusselstown
This photo shows the remains of Brusselstown Ring in County Wicklow, Europe
Courtesy of Wicklow County LibrariesRemains of a Hill Fort at Brusselstown
Courtesy of Wicklow County Libraries
Courtesy of Wicklow County Libraries
Remains of a Hill Fort at Brusselstown
This photo shows the remains of Brusselstown Ring in County Wicklow, Europe
Courtesy of Wicklow County LibrariesHill forts are by far the most substantial of Wicklow's archaeological remains. Hill forts are numerous in that county and can be found throughout Wicklow, including at Brusselstown, Rathgall and Rathcoran.
These sometimes enormous fortifications (Rathcoran encloses 10.5 hectares) encircle the summits of hills. One or more ramparts were constructed around the hill's contours. Hill forts were not used as living areas. Rather, these Iron Age sites provided refuge for people and livestock during times of unrest.
S tone circles can also be found in Wicklow. These were probably ritual sites for ceremonies and date from around 2000 BC. There are also many late Stone Age, or Neolithic, burial mounds dating back to around 2400 BC.
In the early Christian period, parts of Wicklow were also used by hermits for retreat and worship, and the great monastic site of Glendalough grew from these activities.