Midden

The National Monuments Service's description

Four distinct shell middens (one main midden mound and three lesser deposits) lie on level, recently cleared scrub and karst limestone c. 175m SSW of the nearest coastline, and some 240m WSW of a ruined, 19th-century ‘big house’. The middens comprise oyster, mussel, queen scallop and periwinkle shells (pers. comm. C. Roden). A relatively modern, deserted farmhouse stands just to the SW. The main midden (ITM E 535017 N 712098) comprises a low, subcircular mound of shells (H 0.9m; diams 7.8m N-S; 6.4m E-W) abutting a disused field wall along the W and possibly retained by a short length (L 2.4m) of dry stone walling along the E. A second midden lies some 14m to the ENE (ITM E 535031 N 712115) and survives as a rectangular deposit of shells (L 3m N-S; Wth 2.2m). A third midden lies some 25m to the E of the second one; and is a similar rectangular deposit (L 4.1m; Wth 1.7m), while the fourth midden lies 4m to the ENE of the third; a roughly circular deposit (diam. 3m). The surrounding cleared ground contains numerous small scattered deposits of shells. The distance from the nearest shoreline, the separate midden deposits (as opposed to the characteristic long, linear coastal-style middens) and the presence of the former 'big house' to the ENE as well as a disused farmhouse just to the SW, suggest a possibly modern date.

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 08 May 2012