House - prehistoric

The National Monuments Service's description

National monument No. 247. Situated on Knockadoon overlooking Lough Gur from S through W to N in an area with a rich concentration of prehistoric monuments. Prehistoric rectangular-shaped house site standing in centre of contemporaneous kerbed enclosure (LI032-022028-). Enclosure listed in 1912 by Windle as Circle K and recorded as House No. 2 by Ó Ríordáin who excavated the monument in 1940 (No. E000252). Prehistoric enclosure annotated as a 'Stone circle' (LI032-022020-) and standing stone (LI032-022021-) 85m to SSE.
Prehistoric kerbed enclosure (LI032-022028-) with the remains of a rectangular house in centre of site. Monument described by O'Kelly (1944, 25-6) as following; 'This is the largest circle (LI032-022028-) on Knockadoon its diameter being 102' [31m]. It is composed of two concentric rings of stones placed close together leaving an annular space between, which is filled with rubble. The entrance is on the E side. Excavation by Ó Ríordáin showed that there had been four wooden posts terminating the ends of the circle at the entrance passage'. House No. 2 located inside the enclosure consisted of a rectangular (dims. 8.2m NE-SW x 6.4m NW-SE) area defined by low wall footings. The house was defined on the NE side by 'a double row of large stones (about 45cm by 30cm) with an earthen packing. The stones were set on a small earthen bank about 25cm high. On the south-east was a single row of slightly larger stones (about 50cm by 35cm); those towards the northern end were set on a continuation of the earthen bank and those on the southern end were placed on a slight rock outcrop, also about 25cm in height. The south-western footing too consisted of a single line of stones and here knobs of outcrop were used as part of it. Post-holes were placed on both sides of these three walls, occasionally paired opposite each other on either side of the stone footing (e.g. 7, 8, 13, 14). The north-western wall was marked by a line of three post-holes (10-12) cut into the rock outcrop on this side. Two large holes (17, 18) positioned slightly north and east of the house centre may have held roof supports. The post-holes have maximum dimensions of 15cm-50cm wide and 13cm-48cm deep. The entrance was probably in the middle of the south eastern wall, where there was a gap 80cm wide in the wall footing. The house had no internal fireplace. There was no stratigraphical evidence to show that the house was contemporary with the enclosure; another structure, House 1, which was unprotected, also occurred on the site. Nevertheless the virtually central location of the house with its entrance facing that of the enclosure and the absence of any other structural evidence within the circle suggest that the house and enclosure form one integral phase on the site.' (Grogan et. al. 1987, 367-8).
The prehistoric enclosure was described in 1978 as a circular-shaped area (LI032-022028-) defined by two concentric rings of contiguous stones with an open flat area between the two rings. The interior was entered through an entrance gap at E. Excavation around the entrance gap revealed rock cut postholes which supported timbers for a possible wooden gate. In the centre of the circle the remains of a rectangular building (LI032-022011-) probably a house was uncovered. The outline of the building was defined by a series of rock cut postholes and the partial remains of low wall footings of the foundation of the structure (O'Kelly and O'Kelly 1978, 31-2).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 21 May 2018

References

Grogan, E. and Eogan, G. 1987 Lough Gur excavations by Seán P. O Ríordáin; further Neolithic and Beaker habitations on Knockadoon. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 87C, 299-506.

O'Kelly, M.J., and O'Kelly, C. 1978 Illustrated guide to Lough Gur, Co. Limerick. Cork. Author.

O'Kelly, M.J. 1944 A survey of the antiquities in the barony of Small County, Co. Limerick. North Munster Antiquarian Journal 4, 16-53.

Windle, B. 1912 Megalithic remains surrounding
Lough Gur, Co. Limerick. Proceedings of the Royal
Irish Academy 30C, 283–306.

Harbison, P. 1970 (Reprint 1992) Guide to the national monuments in the Republic of Ireland. Dublin. Gill and Macmillan.