Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on Roughan Hill on the E edge of the Burren and within an extensive multiperiod field system (CL017-180----). Survey and excavation in this area (Jones et al. 2011, 33-58) have revealed a prehistoric landscape comprising farms, cairns and megalithic tombs lying within a contemporary field system (c. 2.5km N-S, c. 1.5km E-W) comprising many sections of prehistoric mound wall (CL016-172----). Four such farms are clustered on Roughan Hill within 200m of each other (see CL016-167003-, CL016-173----, CL017-173001-, CL016-174----, CL016-175----, CL016-176----). This record is for one of three conjoined enclosures making up ‘Farm RH5’. Enclosure CL016-177---- is conjoined at SSE and CL016-174---- is at NE. Two sections were excavated across two of the enclosure walls in Farm RH5 as part of a wall dating project which revealed that RH5 is contemporary with other prehistoric farms in the area dating to the Beaker period and Early Bronze Age (Jones 2008, 42-53; 2011, 39; 2019, 10). Similar lithic artifacts to the other farms were also found.

This enclosure (dims. 38.8m E-W; c. 34.6m N-S) is subcircular in shape as are the two conjoined enclosures and is defined by a slight stone wall (Wth 1.2-1.5m; H c. 0.3-0.5m) which comprises basal stones and facing-stones (dims. c. 0.7m; 0.5m) with a core of cobble-sized stones and which has been reduced to a stone spread at W (Wth 1.8m; H 0.3m). A possible annexe (15m N-S; 6m E-W) to the E of a wide gryke (Wth 7m; D 0.7-1m) aligned N-S running the full length of the site may be original and the S wall of this annexe has large slabs aligned E-W. A quarry has been dug into the site at S and at N the enclosure wall has been straightened.

Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Lynda McCormack

Date of upload: 26 July 2022

References

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. 2008 Roughan Hill prehistoric landscape. In Comber, M. and Jones, C. (compilers) Burren landscape and settlement. An Irish National Strategic Archaeolgical Research (INSTAR) project. The Heritage Council.

Jones, C., Carey, O. and Hennigar, C. 2011 Domestic production and the political economy in prehistory: evidence from the Burren, Co. Clare. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 111C, 33-58.