Barrow in Deechomade

In pasture, on the NE-facing shoulder of a drumlin. This barrow was partially excavated by Keane and Farrelly (1993, 56; 1994, 71) in 1992 and 1993. It was described prior to excavation as a concave circular area (int. diam. 9m) raised slightly above the external ground level and enclosed by an earth and stone bank (Wth 1.4m; ext. H 0.6m); a gap (Wth 4m) was noted in the bank at E; faint traces of an external fosse were visible along the N arc; the interior sloped gently to E and the bank height diminished towards E (Keane and Farrelly 1993, 56). Excavation revealed that the bank and fosse continue all round and that the possible entrance at E was a worn down section of bank (Keane and Farrelly 1994, 71). An oblong pit (1.5m x 0.8m), containing a dump of stones in a charcoal-rich sandy clay was uncovered in the NE quadrant. A large modern pit (3.4m N-S; 3.8m E-W) was also excavated in the interior which truncated all the internal layers in the other cuttings (ibid.). No evidence for house structures was found which suggests that this was not a habitation site and this is supported by the continuous bank and fosse (ibid.). Finds included quantities of worked chert and a flint thumb scraper (ibid.). A radiocarbon date obtained from charcoal from the base of the bank places the construction of this barrow in the Iron Age (Farrelly and Keane 2002, 100). There is a mound barrow (SL039-010----) in the adjoining field c. 190m to S and a ring-barrow (SL039-011----) c. 230m to SE. A cairn (SL040-008----) on Kesh Corann Hill is visible in the distance to E. Listed by Farrelly and Keane (2002, 98).