Midden

The National Monuments Service's description

In the land-edge cliff on the N shoreline of Drumcliff Bay. ITM 560533 843513
A thin layer (L 1.3m; D 0.03m) of fragmentary oyster shells is exposed in section close to the top of the cliff face, at a height of 3-4m above beach level. It is located at a part of the cliff face which projects outward slightly from the E−W line of the cliff.
The shells are visible at the base of a layer (D 0.2-0.3m) of brown soil, which underlies an overgrowth-covered overhang from field level at the top of the cliff.
The midden overlies a layer (D 0.4m) of orange-coloured stony boulder clay, which in turn overlies bedrock. The bedrock drops vertically for c. 2.4m and then drops in a series of natural steps for another 1.5-2m to beach level. A pile of beach cobbles has accumulated in parts against the base of the cliff.
The quantity of visible oyster shell is meagre, and the full extent and date of the midden are unknown. Two other middens (SL007-053----; and SL007-055----) are located 195m to W and 40m to E, respectively.

Notified to NMS by Tamlyn McHugh.

Attached images:
SL007-054----_01.JPG Midden viewed from SW
SL007-054----_02.JPG Detail of shells

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 5 August 2021