Enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

In low-lying reclaimed farmland. Shown on the 1838 edition of the OS 6-inch map as a trapezoidal-shaped enclosure and classified by McCaffrey (1952, 195, no. 68b) as a rectangular 'Stone fort (?)' with overall dimensions of '174' [53m] x 132' [40m]' and walls '5' [1.5m] wide and 3' [0.9m] to 4' [1.2m] high'. There were two house sites in the interior. On inspection in February 1983 traces of a subrectangular enclosure (38m N-S; 35m E-W), known locally as ‘Seanbhaile’, were visible. Evidence of the original enclosing wall only survived at the E end of the S side, where large boulders set on edge and still in situ formed its inner face. Most of the W and N sides were obliterated due to land clearance and both sides were defined by loose runs of stone. A field boundary formed the enclosing element at N. Within the interior three rectangular house sites (L c. 8m; Wth c. 4m), defined by low drystone walls, were evident; these may be of 19th-century date. A settlement cluster (GA103-125003-) lies c. 24m to the W.

Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG

Date of upload: 12 March 2019

References

McCaffrey, P. 1952 A contribution to the archaeology of the barony of Dunkellin, Co. Galway. Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.