Enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on Roughan Hill on the E edge of the Burren. 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 CL016-173----, CL016-174----, CL016-175----/CL016-176----). This record is for 3-4 conjoined, overlapping enclosures that make up Farm RH1 (ibid., 37). The enclosures are irregularly shaped, curvilinear features (diam. c. 60-70m) defined by walls of very large slabs set on edge. A house site (CL016-167001-) was excavated in 1995 (Licence no. 95E0061) within these enclosures. It yielded evidence of two separate occupations, one in the late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age and one in the early medieval period.

Compiled by: Mary Tunney

Date of upload: 19 April 2016

References

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.

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.