Megalithic tomb - court tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

On a rise in the floor of a wide valley in rough pasture and limestone pavement, a N-S ravine immediately to the W. Within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-059001-). Indicated and labelled ‘Cromlech’ on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. Described by de Valera and Ó Nualláin (1961, 29-31; see attachment) as a damaged and partly covered court cairn (7.5m NNE-SSW; 2.2-2.7m WNW-ESE; max. H c. 1.1m) embedded in a poorly defined mound on a low natural knoll. The tomb was oriented NNE-SSW and comprised a two-chambered gallery accessed from the NNE through a narrow court. The court (L c. 2m; Wth c. 2.2m) was open at the N, and lined at the E and W by low rows of upright limestone slabs. The E row (L 2.6m) included five slabs (L 0.5-0.9m; H 0.25-0.45m; T 0.35m). The W row (L 2.1m) was composed of two in situ slabs (L 0.7-1m; Wth 0.5-0.6m; T 0.05-0.1m) which were incorporated in an overlying field boundary, as well as two slabs to the W which were more disturbed.

At the S end of the court, the gallery (4.2m NNE-SSW; 2.5-2.7m WNW-ESE; max. H c. 1.1m) was accessed through an entrance (Wth c. 0.95m) defined by two tall jambs. The E jamb (H 1.25m; Wth 0.5m; T 0.4m) is split longitudinally. The W jamb (H 1.6m; Wth 0.4m; T 0.35m) appeared to be one of a pair. Immediately to the N was the in situ base of its broken N partner (original H 1.65), most of which lay E-W in front of the gallery entrance. A low flat threshold slab (L c. 0.85m; max. Wth c. 0.45m) appeared to perhaps not be original.

The gallery’s N chamber (1.5m NNE-SSW; 1.8m WNW-ESE) had a single outward-leaning E sidestone (L 1.5m; H 1.05m; T 0.1-0.15m) with an uneven top edge that sloped sharply to the N. The W sidestone (L 1.2m; H 1.4m; T 0.2m) did not reach the SW corner of the chamber; this gap (L 0.4m) may originally have been covered by a disturbed overlapping sidestone (L 1.15; H 0.95m; T 0.15m) to the W. Another upright slab (L 1.15m; H 0.6m; T 0.15m) of unclear function was also set to the W of the chamber. A modern N–S drystone field-wall obscured part of the chamber’s W side. The N chamber was separated from the S by two pillar-like jambs (H 1m; Wth 0.35-0.4m; T 0.25-0.3m) set (1m apart) adjacent to the E and W walls. A threshold-like stone (L 1.6m; Wth 0.6m; T 0.2m) lying E-W across the gallery between the jambs was thought to be a lintel, fallen from over this accessway between the gallery chambers (see also Westropp 1897, 119).

The S chamber (2.25m NNE-SSW; 1.7m ESE-WNW) had a large sidestone on either side. That at E (L 2.7m; H 1m; T 0.2-0.4m) had a broken and uneven top edge, sloping to S. Outside this sidestone to the E were several lower upright slabs (max. H 0.25m) which seemed to be packing stones. The W sidestone (L 2.45m; H 0.75m; T 0.15-0.2m) had a rough, uneven top edge. Its S end was concealed by a later E-W field boundary which abutted the tomb’s SW corner, but a gap (L 0.4m) was visible between this sidestone and the SW corner of the gallery. As in the N chamber, the gap was covered by a parallel outer slab (L 1.45m; H 0.9m; T 0.1m), to the N of which was another slab (L 1.2m; H 1.1m; T 0.1m). These were thought to likely be high-pitched slab corbels. The S side of the S chamber was defined by a SSW-leaning backstone (L 1.4m; H 1.25m; T 0.1-0.15m), the E and W sides of which sloped down. A pillar- or jamb-like stone (H 1m; Wth 0.25m; T 0.2m) stood in the SE corner of the chamber. A large slab (L 1.8m) lying tilted in the chamber may have been a fallen capstone, its W end supported by the W sidestones/corbels. Another broken slab (L 0.85m) lying to the S within the chamber may also have been a capstone fragment. Other loose stones, many highly fragmented, lay in and around the tomb.

Situated 3-3.5m to the W of the tomb was a possible remnant of a kerb around the mound. This comprised a NNE-SSW line (L c. 6.7m) of four upright limestone slabs (L 0.65-2.3m; H 0.25-0.7m; T 0.1-0.2m). Toward the N the line curved E slightly. Westropp (e.g. 1915, 259) may have identified a continuation of this kerbing of ‘low stones’ to the W and N of the tomb, but these were not described by de Valera and Ó Nualláin (1961, 29-31). An inspection of the tomb in 1997 found it to be unaltered.

A cashel (CL009-059066-) lies c. 85m to the ESE and a megalithic structure (CL009-059068-) lies c. 154m also to ESE.

To date this is one of very few court tombs found in the S of Ireland (Waddell 2010, 87-8; Jones 2013, 78-80). In north Clare there are four others (CL008-002001-; CL016-020029-; CL016-170----; CL017-180007-).

The following items have been uploaded:
CL009-059063-_01.pdf Details from Ruaidhrí de Valera and Seán Ó Nualláin, Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume I. County Clare. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1961)
CL009-059063-_01.jpg View of court tomb from NE
CL009-059063-_02.jpg Vertical drone view of tomb having been cleared by Burren Beo volunteers (photo: Elaine Lynch)
CL009-059063-_03.jpg View of tomb from E (photo: Elaine Lynch)
CL009-059063-_04.jpg View of tomb from N (photo: Elaine Lynch)
CL009-059063-_05.jpg View of tomb from S (photo: Elaine Lynch)

Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott

Date of upload: 30 March 2022

References

Westropp, T.J. 1915 Prehistoric remains (forts and dolmens) in Burren and its south western border, Co. Clare. Part 12: North Western Part. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 5, 45-62, 249-74.

Waddell, J. 2010 (Revised edition) The prehistoric archaeology of Ireland. Dublin. Wordwell.

de Valera, R. and Ó Nualláin, S. 1961 Survey of the megalithic tombs of Ireland, vol. 1: County Clare. Dublin. Stationery Office.

Westropp, T.J. 1897 Prehistoric stone forts of northern Clare, part III. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries 27, 116-27.

Jones, C. 2013 Temples of stone. Exploring the megalithic monuments of Ireland. Wilton. Collins Press.