Enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

On grass-covered pasture in the NE end of Rathborney Valley between Cappanawalla Hill and Gleninagh ‘Mountain’. A roughly oval enclosure (110m N–S; 60m E–W) defined by low grass-covered mound walls (Wth 3.5–5.2m, int. H 0.2–0.5m, ext. H 0.2–1.1m). The enclosing element has been removed from SW–NW inside a modern strip field. The enclosure sits within a multiphase field system (CL002-075002-), with small, apparently contemporary fields extending to the NE and SE, and two elements of a later field system, also defined by mound walls (Wth 2.5m; H 0.2–0.5m), crossing the interior, E–W and WSW–ESE. There are c. 12 small cairns N of centre in the enclosure (diam. c. 2–3m; av. H 0.5m), which may just be a result of field clearance. Although it is difficult to date, the mound walls suggest the enclosure is likely of prehistoric date (cf. Plunket Dillon 1985; Jones, Carey and Hennigar 2011; Jones 2016).

Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Ros Ó Maoldúin

Date of upload: 14 December 2020

References

Plunkett Dillon, E.C. 1985 The field boundaries of the Burren, County Clare. Unpublished PhD thesis, Trinity College, Dublin.

Jones, C. 2019 Climate change and farming response in a temperate oceanic zone - the exploitation of a karstic region in Western Ireland in the third and second m illennia BC. The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, online publication, https://doi.org/10.1080.15564894.2019.1614115.

Jones, C. 2016 Dating ancient field walls in karst landscapes using differentil bedrock lowering. Geoarchaeology, 31 (2), 77-100.