The Motte of Navan

This large mound of earth just outside the town of Navan has origins steeped in legend. It is said that the mound was originally created as the tomb of a woman named Odhbha, who died of a broken heart when her husband, a Celtic king, abandoned her. Some say that the mound appeared as a result of natural processes.

There are no visible structures on the Motte of Navan today, but a Norman baron, D’Angelo, is said to have erected a motte and bailey here in the 12th century. Motte and bailey represented a traditional Norman style of castle construction during the medieval period.