House - indeterminate date

The National Monuments Service's description

In sand dunes c. 250m E of the sea and c. 70m N of the Caher/Murrough River. Listed as 'Hut site' in the SMR (1992) and the RMP (1996). A rectangular stone structure exposed and excavated in 1968 (Rynne). On inspection in 1997 it was found to be no longer visible. It was recorded by the excavator as a roughly rectangular structure (8.6m NNW–SSE; 4m WSW–ESE; H 1–1.25m) of local limestone slabs, the lowest course of which was were set on edge and leaned outward. The exterior of the structure was not evenly faced, suggesting it was built into a depression in the sand. A stone-lined and paved entrance (L c. 2.6m; W 1.25m) extended out from the SSE wall. It was slightly deeper than the level of the internal floor, from which it was separated by a low sillstone (L 0.6m; T 0.08m) set on its edge. The sillstone projected 0.2m above the entranceway paving and 0.07m above the internal paving. The external, W side of the entrance was flanked by a large jambstone (H 0.85m; Wth 0.3m; T 0.25m) and a corresponding jambstone may have once stood on the E side. Internally, a transverse wall (H 0.45–0.55m) constructed of large slabs set on edge, extended from another jambstone (H 0.6m) near the centre of the structure to the NNE wall. It is likely that a corresponding jambstone flanked an entrance through the internal wall, which would have divided the interior in two and would have been broken by a gap directly opposite the entrance. The internal floor was partially paved and a sunken flue-like, stone-lined, trench (L 4.1m; Wth 1m; D 0.15–0.25m) ran under the paving, in the centre of and along the long axis of the structure. It exhibited red in-situ oxidisation on its S end and contained a black charcoal fill at its NNW end. A possible hearth noted within a stone setting in the SW quadrant did not survive to the time of the excavation. A perforated bone pin (NMI 1968:443) and needle (NMI 1968:444) recovered from the site prior to the excavation may be of early medieval date.

The following item has been uploaded:
CL001-001----_01.jpg Plan and sections of house site from Rynne (1968).

Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Ros Ó Maoldúin

Date of upload: 9 September 2020

References

Rynne, E. 1968 Excavation of a house-site in Fanore sandhills, Co. Clare. North Munster Antiquarian Journal 11, 7-12.