House - medieval

The National Monuments Service's description

On the SE-facing slopes of Bray Head on Valencia Island. This is one of six buildings (see KE087-080002-; KE087-080003-; KE087-080004-; KE087-080005-; KE087-080007-) which make up a 'street' of house-platforms that extend for c. 70m along an E-W line (Mitchell et al. n.d.). This structure was excavated in 2000 (Hayden 2000b) revealing the remains of a rectangular building (ext. L 7.7m; ext. Wth 3.9m) defined by a drystone wall (Wth 1m) of which two masonry courses survived. In a subsequent phase of use a stone wall was built across the N end of the interior, shortening the building by approximately 2m. The floor in the truncated portion of the building became heavily eroded, resulting in the removal of the floor of the primary level of the building and also the top of the occupation material of an earlier house (KE087-080010-) which this building overlay. There was a doorway in the E wall in both phases of use. According to the excavator (ibid., 8), the lack of occupation debris along with its small size may indicate that this functioned as an outbuilding associated with the 'Crompeol' settlement. A short length of gully/slot-trench, lying immediately to the NE, may indicate the location of another structure. (Mitchell et al. n.d.; Hayden 2000b)

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Kerry. Volume I: South-West Kerry' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 30 May 2011