Midden

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on the N-facing slope of a ridge overlooking Cummeen Strand and Sligo Bay. The slope drops steeply for several meters to a strip of salt marsh which gives way to the mud and sand flats of Cummeen Strand. To S, the slope rises c. 0.5m and then levels out to a broad natural terrace before rising again to the summit of the ridge. The slope is thickly cloaked in hawthorn, blackthorn and bramble scrub. This midden was discovered in October 2015 by the MASC Project, Sligo IT. The midden can be traced intermittently over a distance of c. 25-30m between ITM 564350 836890 at the WSW and 564384 836909 at its ENE end. It is visible as a dense layer of oyster shells, mixed with occasional periwinkle shells and charcoal flecks. At its SW end the layer (L 1.4m; D 0.3m) is exposed in the sides of a deep rut (Wth 0.5-0.8; D 0.5-0.7m) eroded into the slope by farm stock. Another relatively substantial section (L 3m; D 0.4-0.5m) is visible 3m to E of this. To E of these two sections, the midden is glimpsed in patches where the moss and overgrowth has been eroded from a scarp. The scarp appears to be the remnant of a man-made boundary or path, possibly 19th century in date, which extends roughly E–W along a contour of the ridge. A depth of c. 0.4-0.6m of soil overlies the midden. This suggests that the midden accumulated originally on the natural terrace of the ridge slope but has been buried over time by soil build-up. The exact nature and date of the midden is unknown. It has been recorded as a single feature but there may be more than one midden here.

Attached images:
SL014-294----_01.JPG exposed portion of midden towards it WSW end
SL014-294----_02.JPG

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 14 December 2015