Souterrain

The National Monuments Service's description

In the S quadrant of a ringfort (TS088-009001-). The souterrain is described in detail by the Rev. James Graves (1870-71, 207-8) as follows, it 'was approached by a regular flight of steps, giving entrance to a small bee-hive-shaped chamber of an irregular circular form 6'9" [2.06m] wide by 5'5" [1.65m] high, built of rough fragments of limestone; from this chamber a narrow passage, so low that one was obliged to creep through it on all-fours, led into another chamber of the same character, 6'8" [2.03m] wide by 6'9" [2.06] high; and from this a similar passage gave entrance to a third, of larger size, 6'8" [2.03m] high, and by 7'3" [2.21] in diameter. The passages were square-headed, and roofed with single stones stretching across from wall to wall. The jointing of the stonework was very irregular, no courses or bedding being perceptible, the faces of the stones as they came from the quarry being rudely fitted to each other. In each chamber the bee-hive vault was capped by a single stone at top; and what was very note-worthy, as bearing on the habitable nature of these souterreins, each chamber was provided with two ventilating shafts, placed near the top, and diverging in opposite directions towards the surface'. The souterrain has been 'cleared out' and 'bones of the cow, pig, sheep, deep, and goat, were found, also quantities of sling stones and some bone pins, together with pieces of charcoal' and a carved bone (ibid, 208). The entrance to the souterrain is visible as a hollow, the opening has been covered over.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 26 August 2011

References

Graves, J. 1870-71 Proceedings. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 11, 207-08.