Medieval motte.


The site is known variously as Cronk Howe Mooar, Cronk Mooar, Cronk y Moar and Fairy Hill.


It is a steep-sided oval mound measuring 50m NW-SE by 42m NE-SW, and standing almost 10m high. A spur of raised ground extends to the east of the mound, curving round to the north-east and petering out.


When surveyed by the Ordnance Survey in 1868, a ditch was apparent for much of the circumference of the mound, which was up to 10m wide. For the most part it is now less pronounced, but still clearly separates the mound from its spur to the east. It has been suggested that the mound, the ditch and even the spur have been affected by landscaping connected with the former operation of a golfcourse.


Excavations in 1912 by Kermode and Herdman suggested that the mound itself was natural, and found a structure on its summit. The origins of the mound have since been called into question and it is now thought to be largely artificial, though its location may take advantage of a slight underlying natural hillock; the heavy clay soil undoubtedly enhances the defensibility of the site.


Investigation of the summit showed that there was a roughly central rectilinear structure sunken in the centre of the mound. This measured 5.5 by 3m internally, and was revetted inside by orthostats and roughly coursed walling. The edge of the summit was crowned by a low rampart which provided the actual means of defence. Apart from a single iron implement (possibly a knife), no artefacts were recovered which could provide an accurate date for the site.


The spur lying to the east of the mound was not investigated. It may represent the fragmentary remains of a bailey - some of the surrounding field boundaries may conceivably indicate the remainder of the bailey enclosure - or the much reduced vestiges of a ramp leading towards the summit. Some kind of bridge, since lost, may have spanned the ditch.


Since Kermode and Herdman's excavations, attention has been drawn to the record in the Chronicle of the Kings of Man and the Isles that Magnus, king of Norway, who visited in 1098, erected forts and imported timber for the purpose. In the context of this reference, it seems natural to suggest that Magnus may have left behind at least one motte of normal 11th or early 12th century character. Following his excavations at Ballagawne, Gerhard Bersu suggested that the stone structure on the summit might be a defended granary similar to the building he uncovered at the Cashtal.