Hut site

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated in a small hollow at the south-eastern foot of a low boulder-strewn hummock on the commonage midway between Gorteen and Lackwee. The site affords wide views of the coastline to SW. An amorphous, cairn-like mass (H 0.4m) of large, lichen-covered angular stones and boulders (8m N–S, 6.9m E–W, externally) marks the site of a possible dwelling.

Within the stone mass a roughly oval patch of grassy sward is discernible, possibly representing the stone-filled interior of a hut, roughly oval in plan (c. 2.4m N–S, 1.9m E–W). Traces of a curving revetment of stone protrude from the sod at SE and are traceable through S to SW as a line of curving slabs and boulders set on edge (three stones in all). No definite internal facing is traceable elsewhere, but there are traces of a possible external kerb from NE to ENE, where two set slabs, one very large (set on edge) protrude slightly from the sod. A number of quartz-veined, weathered boulders at the southern limits of the cairn may mark the continuation of this kerbing from SSE to S, particularly a very large boulder at the south-south-eastern corner.

Directly outside these boulders is a spread of stone, possibly collapse from the wall, which is traceable to S for a distance of 3m. Furthermore, to E of the main cairn is another spread of loose stone. Although less dense, it is traceable for 3m as a scatter of boulders and stones protruding from the sod: it peters out around a large, tall, thin set slab (L 1m, Wth 0.2m, H 0.7m).

An isolated length of wall (part of MA084-001001-) runs off from NW side of the hut on a NW axis for 3m almost to top of the hummock before turning northwards to take up a N–S axis. It can be traced N for a further c. 20m before it peters out on the summit of another small hummock.

The above description is derived from: New Survey of Clare Island. Volume 5: Archaeology. Edited by Paul Gosling, Conleth Manning and John Waddell. (Royal Irish Academy, Dublin. 2007). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated.

Date of upload: 29 November 2018

References

Gosling, P., Manning, C. and Waddell, J. (eds.) 2007 New Survey of Clare Island, Volume 5: Archaeology. Dublin, Royal Irish Academy.