Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

In hazel wood at a high point on an E-W spur; the land slopes steeply in every direction except to the W. Hachured on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. This hazel-covered subrectangular cashel (ext. dims. 33.8m ENE-WSW; 27.2m NNW-SSE) is defined by a stone spread (Wth max. 5.5m; int. H c. 0.4m; ext. H 0.4-1.2m). The outer wall-face, constructed of horizontally laid stones, is clearly visible protruding from it. The wall has clearly deteriorated since Westropp’s (1911, 362) visit, when he described it as narrow (Wth 1.37-1.98m), surviving to eight courses (H 1.83m) with a batter, and composed of large carefully fitted blocks (L 1.22-1.45m; Wth 0.36-0.41m). There is a possible entrance gap (Wth 0.75m) at S but the passage through the wall could not be traced. The ‘two loops of late-looking wall’ recorded by the Westropp (ibid.), adjoining the rampart within the interior, were not noted. Another cashel (CL009-116----) lies c. 140m to the SW.

Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Conn Herriott

Date of upload: 17 June 2022

References

Westropp, T.J. 1911 Prehistoric remains (forts and dolments) in the Burren, Co. Clare (continued). Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 1, 343-67.