Pā on coastal high terrace near Pouawa, north of Gisborne

A rare example on the East Coast of a triple ditch and bank defence, probably dictated by the flat access at this point. The defended area (to left of the ditch and bank) is about 70 m long by 40 m across. The flat strip marked by the shadowed scarp in the foreground is a natural slump, and the ditches and banks run across it. The relatively narrow defensive ditches suggest that the site may be nineteenth century in origin, in which case a triple line, concentrating the defender's musket-fire, would have been possible. The interior of the pā shows at least six raised-rim pits. The faint criss-cross pattern on the paddocks to right of the pā results from recent giant-discing. Fortunately, the discing has not entered the perimeter of the pā, although a road has breached the ditch and bank towards the far end. The view is to the north.