Souterrain

The National Monuments Service's description

In a rath (MA102-002001).
This drystone-built souterrain branches in two directions through the W half of the rath, one passage extending in a gently curve through the centre of interior on a roughly NW−SE axis, and the other passage branching off it to W terminating in the inner bank at SW. It is evidenced at surface level by a number of surface openings, depressions and small areas of subsidence.

In the S half of the interior, a grassed-over depression (2m NW–SE; 1.6-1.8m NE–SW; D 0.6m-1m) represents the collapsed SE end of a chamber/passage. At its NW end there is an opening (Wth 1m; H 0.68m) into the intact NW end (L 2m NW-SE) of the chamber/passage, with drystone side walls (H 1.5m) roofed with two in situ lintels. In the NW wall of this space, there is two-tiered creepway opening: This consists of a lintelled opening (Wth 0.6m; H 0.46m) at floor level, immediately above which is a second opening (Wth 0.63m; H 0.5m) roofed with two superimposed lintels. These stacked openings give onto a passage (L c. 7m; Wth 0.85-1m) which extends in a shallow curve to NW. The side walls are constructed of 3-4 courses of large stones and boulders with slight corbelling at top to support the roof lintels. The floor is earthen. At a point 1.4m to NW of the two-tier creepway, there is a pronounced earth and stone rise/bank (Wth 1m NW–SE) in floor level spanning the width of the passage. To NW of this the height of the chamber is reduced from c. 0.9-1m to 0.46m and the floor is strewn with stones. At its NW end the passage narrows (Wth 0.55m) and the floor rises slightly to a narrow opening (0.8m E–W; 0.6m N–S) at ground surface of the rath; it is not clear if this opening is an original entrance.
Another passage branches to the SW from this passage. The opening into the second passage is located at floor level in the W wall of the main passage, 0.4m to NW of the two-tiered creepway. The opening (Wth 0.56m; H 0.3m) consists of two jamb stones supporting a lintel, and gives access to a small, low-roofed roughly D-shaped chamber (c. 2m NE–SW; c. 1m NW-SE), partly infilled with soil. The SE wall of the chamber is curving and the NW wall is straight. At its SW end, another lintelled opening flanked by two upright stones giving onto a passage, which extends for c. 3-4m to SW ending at the rath bank. At surface level, a small area of collapse adjacent to the bank reveals an in situ lintel, and another lintel is partly exposed in the inner face of the bank.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 23 September 2022