Midden

The National Monuments Service's description

Described in 2001 as 'This particular site lies on the shore below Inch Castle (DG046-004-) and may be up against the outcrop on which the castle is placed. There would seem to be some evidence that the castle midden extends westwards along the slope below Castle Quarter Low. As this midden is in places in an active state of erosion it was felt that it would be best recorded by providing a photographic record. This was achieved by providing a sequential series of record photographs at 4 metre intervals. The photographs were taken from west to east. At 22-23 metres to the east of a large triangular rock was maybe a passageway up to 1.1 metre wide filled with shells and soil. Sample removed from here for dating. Shells are less compacted. A C 14 date was obtained: UB 4680 two standard divisions 1507-1691 AD. It would appear that there may be at least two phases of midden. 1) That associated with the castle which has produced a range of Late medieval artefacts at 23-22 metres while 2) a phase below an apparent layer of building rubble i.e. from 14-13 metres' (Woodman & Milner 2001, 20-27; Milner & Woodman 2007, 104-5, No. 7).

Attached images:
DG046-038----_01.JPG Midden viewed from S
DG046-038----_02.JPG Midden viewed from S

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 17 August 2010

References

Milner, N. and Woodman, P. 2007 Deconstructing the myths of Irish shell middens. In N. Milner, O.E. Craig and G. Bailey (eds) Shell middens in Atlantic Europe. Oxford. Oxbow.