Settlement platform

The National Monuments Service's description

A cluster of rock platforms (WM026-115----/15001-; 117----/118----/119----/120----/121----/122----) were identified by Karkov & Ruffing (1990-1, 108-110), on the E shoreline of Rochfort Bay on Lough Ennell. Listed as Rochfort Demesne 9 and described by O'Sullivan (2004, 101-02) as following; 'Located at water’s edge, west of a small inlet on the south side of Rochfort Bay. It is overlooked by level ground rising to a ridge to the south. This is an oval rock platform (dims. 12m N-S x 20m E-W; H 0.5m) in shallow water (50cm) at the edge of lakeshore. It would originally have been in 1m depth of water, located c.70m from original shoreline. It is a level platform, even in profile with gradually sloping edges. Limestone slabs (1m length, 50cm width) are scattered around its upper surface and large stones are exposed around the site in the water. The site is connected to the modem shoreline by a narrow, stone causeway, c.8-10m in length. The nearest archaeological site is the crannóg at Goose Island (WM026-109----), 400m to north, a mound at Rochfort Demesne (WM026-048----), 600m to east. This site is a possible prehistoric or medieval rock platform, potentially associated with the early medieval crannóga at Goose Islands.'

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by Aidan O'Sullivan

Date of upload: 29 March 2017

References

O'Sullivan, A. 2004 The social and ideological roles of crannogs in early medieval Ireland. Unpublished PhD thesis. Department of History, NUI Maynooth.

Karkov, C. and Ruffing, J. 1990-1 The crannógs of Lough Ennell: A computer survey. Ríocht na Midhe, 8, 3, 105-113.