Scholars Unearth Wicklow Mountains Site As Largest Known Nucleated Prehistoric Settlement

Never mind the Vikings !!!!!! Civilisation could be traced back to Baltinglass!

A hidden bronze age giant at Brusselstown Ring in the rolling hills of County Wicklow near Baltinglass, one of Ireland’s most extraordinary prehistoric sites has been uncovered.

Recent aerial surveys and targeted digs by archaeologists Dirk Brandherm, Cherie Edwards, Linda Boutoille, and James O’Driscoll have revealed over 600 potential roundhouse platforms, making it the largest known prehistoric settlement in Ireland and Britain.

IMAGE - Baltinglass hillfort cluster (figure by authors listed below)

The main hillfort covers 41 hectares, while the outer enclosures linking neighboring hills stretch the total area to 131 hectares. Archaeologists have mapped 98 roundhouses inside the main enclosure, with more than 500 between the inner and outer walls. These circular homes, ranging from 3–12 meters in diameter, housed a thriving Bronze Age community.

Test excavations by Brandherm, Edwards, Boutoille, and O’Driscoll revealed cobbled floors, hearths, stake holes, and signs of burning events. Radiocarbon dating places most activity between 1210–780 BC, with some reuse continuing into the Early Iron Age (750–400 BC).

IMAGE - Photogrammetry map of Brusselstown Ring indicating potential roundhouse footprints, test trench locations and the potential cistern (A), with close-up lidar image of house platforms (visible as circular footprints) on the eastern slope (B) .

One of the site’s most exciting discoveries is a boat-shaped stone structure, possibly a cistern. If confirmed, it would be the first known water storage system at an Irish hillfort, demonstrating advanced communal planning. This feature suggests that Wicklow’s prehistoric communities were organized and resourceful, carefully managing water for hundreds of residents.

Why Wicklow Matters in Prehistory

Brusselstown Ring shows that Wicklow was more than a scenic landscape—it was a hub of prehistoric life. Its size, density, and sophistication reflect:

• Large, organized communities
• Complex infrastructure, including possible water management
• Long-term use from the Late Bronze Age into the Early Iron Age

This region’s hills and valleys were not just beautiful—they shaped how early communities lived, defended themselves, and thrived.

Scholars including Brandherm, Boutoille, and O’Driscoll have demonstrated that sites like Brusselstown Ring represent unprecedented nucleated settlements in Ireland and Britain.

What’s Next?

Ongoing research will focus on:

• Confirming the cistern’s purpose
• Investigating house construction
• Dating the enclosing walls and internal features

As work continues, Wicklow’s prehistoric past promises to reveal even more about how early communities built, organized, and thrived among these iconic hills.

Brusselstown Ring isn’t just Ireland’s largest prehistoric settlement—it’s a testament to Wicklow’s enduring role in the story of human settlement, thanks to the groundbreaking work of the scholars who have studied it.

Scholar Spotlight and References

* Dirk Brandherm – Lead on conceptualization and excavation methodology; research on large-scale hillfort settlements.
* Cherie Edwards – Data curation, excavation analysis, and fieldwork contributions.
* Linda Boutoille – Field investigation, survey interpretation, and visualization of roundhouse layouts.
* James O’Driscoll – Authority on the Baltinglass hillfort cluster; extensive surveys and publications on prehistoric Wicklow landscapes.
* Timothy Condit – Early studies on hillforts in Wicklow; helped identify the region as a prehistoric “hillfort capital.”

Key publications for further reading:

* O’Driscoll, J. (2016) *The Baltinglass landscape and the hillforts of Bronze Age Ireland*.
* Brandherm, D., & Boutoille, L. (2022) *Hoch hinaus – Ringwälle und Höhensiedlungen der irischen Spätbronzezeit*.
* Condit, T. (1992) *Ireland’s hillfort capital: Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow*.