Enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Listed as ‘Potential Site Air Photo’ in the SMR (1992) and the RMP (1996). A circular feature is clearly visible on an Ordnance Survey aerial photograph (3/6602) (photocopy in SMR file). On field inspection in 2002 the remains were not located, however, subsequent inspection as part of an archaeological assessment and testing (Licence no. 17E0440) in 2017 confirmed the presence of a circular enclosure severely truncated by quarrying. The enclosure is described in the report (Tobin 2017) as roughly circular in plan (diam. 30m E-W) and best defined from N to E. It is truncated by the quarry face to the S. It is located at the juncture between karst limestone to the W and better agricultural land to the E. From N to E it is defined by a grass-covered scarp (H 1.8m). A possibly contemporary level platform (L 6.5m; Wth 6m) is at the base of the scarp at NE (Tobin 2017, fig. 5). A block of karst limestone is placed at E and there is a local tradition that it was used as a Mass rock (CL018-110----). The remains of a bank (H 0.4m) of ‘dumped stone material’ were noted intermittently from SW to N but were largely obscured by thorn bushes. The interior is level and a curvilinear depression (Wth 1.2m; L 2.3m; D 0.45m) was noted in the SE quadrant.

Compiled by: Mary Tunney

Date of upload: 13 March 2018

References

Tobin, R. 2017 Archaeological Assessment. Crusheen, Co. Clare. Licence no. 17E0440. Unpublished report submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. RedArc Consulting Limited.