Souterrain

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, located on a limestone terrace. The terrace is bordered on the N side by a low rocky scarp which drops to a flat expanse of rush-grown, damp ground stretching 100m N to the banks of a river. To S ground rises gradually in a series of limestone terraces. There is a spring well 10m to W at the interface of the dry and boggy ground. The souterrain underlies a possible rectangular house (DG103-090002-) and a square enclosure (DG103-090003-). There are two circular enclosures (DG103-088----); DG103-089----) located 100m upslope to SSW.
This monument consists of a natural limestone cavity or small cave, which has been adapted to serve as a souterrain. It has walls and ceiling of bedrock and an earthen floor; the space is cramped and it is not possible to stand upright. The current access is through a small surface opening (max. dim. 0.5m N–S; 0.35m E–W) located within the low ruined stone wall of a possible house (DG103-090002-). The opening drops into the ENE end of an ENE–WSW natural passage (L 8m; H 0.8-1.3m). The E half of the passage is narrow (Wth 1-1.4m) but the W half expands in width to a low ceilinged, irregular-shaped area (Wth c. 3-3.5m N-S), with a second natural passage (L 7-8m; Wth 0.5-1m; H 0.6-0.1.2m) branching off to SE from the SW corner. Evidence of human modification of the cave consist of a stone-built wall, erected to subdivide the space in the broader NW end of the main E-W passage, and stone lintels which were inserted into the natural rock ceiling at two locations, one close to the E end of the main E-W passage and another at the W end of the cave.

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 19 April 2017