Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Souterrain
Carn Beg, County Mayo, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Carn Beg
- County
- Mayo
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 53.81138, -8.78677
- SMR number
- MA093-066----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
4 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1753 map "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1753 · Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1790 · Composite: Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1869 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
In pasture, on elevated ground in undulating terrain.
A lintelled opening to the souterrain is visible at ground level, The opening is little more than a narrow horizontal slit or gap (Wth 1m NNW−SSE; H 0.25m) at ground level, partly blocked with loose stones. The lintel covering the opening consists of a large horizontal limestone slab (L 1.2m NNW−SSE; D 0.35-0.4m), visible in section beneath c. 0.2-0.3m of sod/topsoil.
The gap is too narrow to allow easy access to the souterrain, however, it allows a glimpse of a chamber or passage extending to WSW or W. From the opening there is a steep, stone-strewn slope to the floor of the chamber. The walls are of drystone construction and the roof consists of a row of flat limestone slabs. Loose stones lie on the chamber floor.
Immediately in front of/to E of the opening there is a shallow depression (Wth c. 1m NNW−SSE; c. 3m ENW−WSW), bordered at E by a close-set line (L 3-5m NNW−SSE) of low partly sod-covered stones, barely protrude from the ground surface on a roughly NW−SE axis. Their significance is uncertain; in parts they resemble wall footings (Wth c. 0.8-1m), possibly remnants of a wall associated with the souterrain or with an enclosure associated with the souterrain, or possibly remnants of a later field wall. Some of the stones may simply be part of a natural seam of bedrock.
Immediately to S of the souterrain is an oval field clearance cairn (9.5m NW−SE; 6.6m NE−SW; H 1.3m) consisting of a domed, broadly-slumped heap of loose stones. A second roughly circular field clearance cairn (diam. c. 5m; H 0.5m at W, 1.5m at E) is located c. 5m NNE of the souterrain. It is heaped against a SE-facing slope so that it has a broad slump on the E side.
An account of the souterrain published in the Irish Press newspaper on 20th June 1933 described it as a roughly oval, drystone structure (L c. 7m; Wth 3-3.5m; H c. 2m) with slightly corbelled drystone walls supporting flat roofing slabs (SMR file).
Attached images:
MA093-066----_01.JPG Opening to souterrain viewed from E
MA093-066----_02.JPG Opening to souterrain viewed from SE
MA093-066----_03.JPG Possible wall to E of souterrain
MA093-066----_04.JPG chamber interior viewed from E
MA093-066----_05.JPG Two field clearance cairns adjacent to souterrain, viewed from NE
Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy
Date of upload: 7 December 2022
Nearby in the register
- Souterrainunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - cashelunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - cashelunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.