House - indeterminate date

The National Monuments Service's description

Within the E half of the interior of a cashel (CL010-064014-). Depicted as a small rectangular structure and named ‘Ancient Dwelling’ on the 1916 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. Listed as ‘Hut Site’ in the RMP (1996). A ‘Cave’ or souterrain (CL010-064100-) is shown extending northwards off its N wall. Described by Westropp (1905, 222) as a ‘curious house foundation and souterrain’. A doorway in the S wall was flanked by ‘two regular blocks that looked like seats’ (Westropp 1896, 363).

This rectangular house site (int. dims. 7m N-S; 6m E-W) is defined by upright and inwardly tilting slabs, the tallest of which is visible in the NE corner and has a hole through it (H 1.15m; L 1.7m; T 0.12m). Westropp (ibid.) noted that similar structures (CL009-059107-) exist at Ballyganner (CL009-059064-), c. 7km to the WSW. Bowmer (2019, 71) believes that the slabs would have retained sod walls and that the design fits in with rectilinear houses of post-800 AD date. A possible souterrain (CL010-0640180-) lies c. 3m to the SW.

Compiled by: Mary Tunney, Olive Alcock and Ros Ó Maoldúin

Date of upload: 27 September 2021

References

Record of Monuments and Places as established under Section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, County Clare. Issued by National Monuments and Historic Properties Service 1996. Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.

Bowmer, T. 2019 Rectilinear drystone cashel and enclosure settlements in the Burren, Co. Clare. The Journal of Irish Archaeology 28, 59–84.

Westropp, T. J. 1905 Prehistoric remains (Forts and Dolmens) along the borders of Burren, in the county of Clare. Part 1 – The Eastern Border. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. 35, 205-29.

Westropp, T.J. 1896 Prehistoric stone forts of northern Clare, parts I & II. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries 26, 142-58, 362-9.