Midden

The National Monuments Service's description

In the land-edge cliff on the N shoreline of Drumcliff Bay.
A thin layer (L 0.3m E-W; D 0.05m) of fragmentary oyster shells is exposed in section at a height of c. 2 above the beach cobbles that have accumulated at the base of the cliff. The shells are visible towards the base of a layer (D 0.2-0.3m) of brown soil, with a concentration of small angular stones in dark soil at the W end of the layer. The brown soil layer underlies an overgrowth-covered overhang (H 1.5-2m) that slumps from field level at the top of the scarp.
The midden overlies orange-coloured stony boulder clay and gravel, beneath which bedrock drops to beach level. The visible remains of the midden are meagre, and its full extent and date are unknown.
Two other middens (SL007-053----; and SL007-054----) are located 245m and 40m to W, respectively.

Notified to NMS by Tamlyn McHugh.

Attached images:
SL007-055----_01.JPG Midden viewed from S
SL007-055----_02.JPG Detail of shells

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 5 August 2021