House - fortified house

The National Monuments Service's description

Built by the Culme family in the early decades of the 17th century. Under the terms of the Plantation the family also rented Clough Oughter castle (CV020-060----) c. 200m to NW, and its associated lands. On OS 1836 ed. the house is designated 'Ruin of Offices belonging to Clough Oughter Castle', and depicted as an L-shaped structure with the long axis aligned NE-SW. Culme had apparently begun to build a strong fort between Lough Oughter and a nearby area of woodland in 1642, in order to defend his house. It appears that the site was abandoned after the Cromwellian wars of the early 1640s. Manning (1990, 17) speculated that it was probably levelled prior to the 1909 OS ed. Davies (1948, 99) noted black earth containing mortar and bones deposited along the top of the shore-bank and recorded that a number of possible sockets for doorposts had been found in the vicinity. There are no visible remains of house at ground level.

Geophysical survey was undertaken in this area in 2011 (Gimson and Regan 2011) and the following is a summary of the results: ‘Detailed magnetic gradiometer, magnetic susceptibility and earth resistance surveys were undertaken across the area of investigation. These detected the presence of a four celled structure located on a topographical expression affording extensive views of the castle and surrounding lough. The composition of the structure has been revealed with two internal divisions, one not central, as well as two areas of possible burning. These are located on the external edge and in the centre of the structure and may be associated with habitation such as hearths. The burning, if associated with a hearth, could indicate a kitchen. The structure appears to be surrounded by an arcing possible ditch; this does not follow the orientation of the structure, but appears to respect it. This possible ditch may have been a boundary feature, once surrounding the structure. Further potential archaeological activity can be seen in an oval possible ditch which may be suggestive of previous habitation on the site, or may be geological in origin. Two areas of soil disturbance were also revealed, possibly archaeological or associated with land clearance.’ (ibid., 15)

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1995).

Updated by: Paul Walsh

Revised date of upload: 7 February 2015

References

Davies, O. 1948 The castles of county Cavan, Part 2. Ulster Journal of Archaeology 11, 80-126.

Gimson, H. and Regan, D. 2011 Site of 17th century house (CV020-047----), Inishconnell, Co. Cavan. Archaeological geophysical survey. Detection license No. 10R0166. Unpublished report. National Monuments Service. Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.