Sweathouse

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A small underground cavern by the northern bank of the Clogherna Burn.

The cavern appears as a mound of large stones and earth with its long axis set obliquely to the nearby mountain burn and the small entrance to it about 2 metres above the stream bed. The entrance approximately 600mm wide by 450mm high is level with the internal floor. The roof of the cavern consists of large long stones spanning the short dimension. A couple of these have slipped as a heavy branch of a nearby oak tree has fallen across it. (The tree is growing on the opposite bank which is precipitous.) Towards the rear of the mound which is more or less level with the adjacent field, is a rough hole which acts as a chimney approximately 300mm each way.

The mound is not easily found as it is among gorse and bracken and tucked into the side of the small glen. It is a considerable distance from the nearest dwelling, about 500 metres. There is a group of dwellings, most of which are now abandoned, called the Ballydonegan Clachan at the bottom of the hillside.

Historical information

The sweathouse is not shown on the earlier O.S. Maps nor indeed is there a field pattern either. The O.S. Map 1830 revised 1905 indicates the location. The O.S. Memoirs give a detailed description and use as follows : “Sweathouse or cave house : there stands in the grazing ground of Quinton O’Kane and others (proprietor Robert Ogilby) in that subdivision of Ballydonegan locally called Cloughernagh, on the verge of the river or stream dividing Mullaghesh and the main town, an ancient house erected mostly in the situation of the ancient caves totally beneath the surface. Its interior stands 9 feet 4 inches in length, 4 feet wide and 6 feet high. The door or entrance is facing the aforesaid stream. It is built much like a gullet, 4 feet in depth, 2 feet high and 2 feet broad. The smoke draft stands at the extreme end of the house, 4 flags, about 2 and a half feet broad and 6 feet long each, form and cover the roof. The door is also covered with 4 flags. Over the stone roof of the house and doorway there is some feet of earth and rocks.

It is a practice with the local inhabitants who are troubled with pains in any part of the body to come to this ancient vault and place in it a large fire for some hours, till properly heated. The fire is then removed and the patient goes in naked. The door is then closed like that of an oven. He there remains till the whole frame becomes moist with sweat. The person is then heaped up in a quantity of wearing and other warm clothes, and removed to home. They conceive a great deal of benefit is received from the foregoing practice, which was carried on perhaps for some centuries.

The place where the sweathouse stands is secluded from all modern habitations. It is believed to be of very ancient standing. Few can judge the original size of the aforesaid extraordinary building”.

The idea of having the sweathouse close to a stream was for the person emerging from it to douse their body in the cold water – akin to the Scandinavian sauna technique.

A present local inhabitant recalls a man who lived in the Ballydonegan clachan using the sweathouse some 60 years ago.

There are other instances of sweathouses in Northern Ireland – Tirkane Sweathouse, scheduled monument.SMR No LDY 30.37
Also at Largantae T/L, Aghanloo Ward, Limavady District.

References

Primary Sources
1. O.S. Map 1830 Rev. 1905 Londonderry sh. 30.
2. O.S. Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of Londonderry X, 1833-34, 1838
Ed by Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams Q.U.B. p. 87
3. Local inhabitant who has always resided in Ballydonegan close to the clachan site.
4. HMSO Historic Monuments of Northern Ireland p. 133, 154

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

An interesting example of a sweathouse situated in a secluded upland location close to a nearby stream but adjacent to a former clachan settlement and which is said to have been in use in the early 20th cent.