Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Souterrain
Baltrasna (ratoath By.), County Meath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Baltrasna (ratoath By.)
- County
- Meath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 53.49396, -6.38798
- SMR number
- ME045-026----
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
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Located at the NE end of a slight NE-SW ridge in a gently undulating landscape. A souterrain came to light in the spring of 1986 as the result of ploughing, but it is now closed. It consists of a straight-sided and lintelled SE-NW passage (Wth 0.9m; L 2.3m) which is blocked at the SE end and widened (Wth 1.3m) towards the NW where there is a trapdoor (dims 1m x 1m) in the floor. This leads into a short SE-NW passage (Wth 1m; H 1m; L 2.3m) roofed with two large lintels which enters an oval or subtriangular beehive chamber (dims c. 2.5m N-S; c. 2.5m E-W; H 2.2m) that has a corbelled roof and a single large capstone. From this chamber a short passage (Wth 0.9-1.1m; H 1.1m; L 1.5m) extends SW and enters a circular beehive chamber (diam. 3.3m N-S; 3.3m E-W; H 2.3m). The capstone of this chamber is cracked and the entrance has a large lintel (Wth c. 1.2m; H c.0.4m) supported on jambs that have four stones each.
See the attached drawing by Muiris de Buitlear
The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of revision: 10 July 2007
Amended: 17 December 2021
Nearby in the register
- Fulacht fiaunder 1 mi
- Fulacht fiaunder 1 mi
- Field boundaryunder 1 mi
- Ring-ditchunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.