Souterrain

The National Monuments Service's description

In the SW quadrant of a cashel (MA093-007001).
This souterrrain is of drystone construction with lintel roofing. The visible remains consist of a passage connected by a short creep to a chamber.
An area of surface collapse in the SW quadrant of the cashel reveals a lintelled opening (Wth 0.92m; H 0.4m) into a passage (Wth 1.2m; H 1.55m at WSW end) which slopes down quite steeply to WSW then levels out, broadening slightly. The passage walls are constructed of randomly coursed, horizontally-laid rough limestone blocks, and support massive limestone roofing lintels. The end wall is gently curving with rounded corners. The floor is strewn with loose stone. There is an opening (Wth 0.6m; H 0.55m) into a creepway at a height of 0.55m above floor level in the NW angle of the WSW end wall of the passage. The W side of the opening is flanked by a single large upright limestone slab of unusual convoluted shape. Two small pad stones intervene between the top of this slab and a roof lintels of the main passage.
The creepway (L c. 1.7m) curves slightly to N and opens into the S end of a chamber at a height of 0.8m above the floor of the chamber. The roof of the creepway rises abruptly by 0.45m towards its N end so that it is more or less level with the roof of this chamber. At its N end, just before it opens into the chamber, the creepway floor is paved with a single slab which rises proud of the rest of the floor.
The chamber (L 3.37m NNE–SSW; Wth 1.58m; H 1.46m) is rectangular in plan with gently rounded corners. There is a rough lintelled recess (D c. 0.45-0.5m) at its NNW corner just below roof level. A heap of displaced earth and stone emanating from this recess fills the N end of the chamber.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 14 June 2022