Souterrain

The National Monuments Service's description

In a rath (MA119-021001-) which crowns a hillock named Cruckavilla on the 1915 OS 6-inch map.
This souterrain is indicated as ‘Cave’ in the W half of the rath on the 1915 OS 6-inch map. The visible remains consist of a passage extending E-W for 13-14m from W of centre towards the rath scarp at W; a short section of the passage is intact, the remainder is collapsed.
The intact section of the passage (L 3.5m E-W; Wth base 1.55m, top 0.97m; H 1.76m) is situated just W of centre in the rath. It has drystone walls and lintel roofing. The basal course of the wall consists of large, rough upright stones/slabs, above which are 5-7 courses of roughly square blocks. The wall incline inward slightly towards the top where a projecting corbel course supports massive roof lintels. The passage narrows (Wth 1.19m base, 0.94m top) at its E end. The roof lintels underlie c. 0.45m of soil and sod. The earthen floor is strewn with loose stones. The E and W ends of this section of passage are partly blocked by collapsed roof slabs. To W of this intact section, the passage is collapsed and delintelled, and is evident as a sod-covered depression (Wth 2.5m at E, 4m at W; D 1.3m), which extends for 9m to W, ending at the rath scarp.
Two large slabs built into a field wall at the base of the N slope of the hillock may be lintels robbed from the souterrain.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 23 June 2023