Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Enclosure
Ballyportry South, County Clare, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Ballyportry South
- County
- Clare
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Caheroishin
- Coordinates
- 52.95008, -9.04765
- SMR number
- CL017-082----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1753 "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Just E off the summit a low hill, in pasture. Recorded as a large circular enclosure on the first edition (1842) of the OS 6-inch map, and similarly hachured and named ‘Caheroisin’ on the later OS 25-inch plan (1897) and on the Cassini edition (1920) of the OS 6-inch map. The name was spelt ‘Caheraoisin’ by Westropp (1896, 369) who recorded that this ‘fort’ was defined by an enclosing element of earth and stones and had ‘gates’ at the E and the W. The upstanding remains of this poorly preserved enclosure only survive from NE-SE-SW where the original enclosing element has been incorporated into a later field boundary. When inspected in 1999, this comprised a drystone wall (Wth 0.5m; int. H 0.5-1m; ext. H 1m) and hedge. A short stretch of original outer wall-face (H 1m) survived at S and there was a moss-covered stony bank (Wth 2m; int. H 0.4m) between SE and S. The perimeter in this area (SE-S-SW) was overlain with scrub-covered spoil and a gap (Wth. 4m) at S was blocked with overgrowth and timber debris. The levelled remains of a bank were visible from SSW-W-N and there was a slight scarp between N and NE. Westropp (ibid.) also observed an old road leading to the W entrance. A track is marked on the first edition (1842) of the OS 6-inch map and on the OS 25-inch plan (1897) running NW from the WNW edge of the enclosure. The track’s remains are faintly visible in satellite imagery (MapGenie Imagery 2013-2018). The enclosure’s interior is generally level, except for the N sector which slopes down to the N. The full circuit of the monument is visible on Google Earth aerial imagery (14-9-2009) where the line of the levelled enclosing element is preserved as a low scarp running from SSE-W-NE.
See attached image: CL017-082----_01 Snip of Google Earth aerial image (14-9-2009)
Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott
Date of upload: 22 August 2023
References
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.
Nearby in the register
- Churchunder 1 mi
- Graveyardunder 1 mi
- Crossunder 1 mi
- Architectural fragmentunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.