Cloghans — High Island

This clochan or beehive hut is built against the E wall of the enclosure (GA021-026021-) surrounding the church (GA021-026014-) on High Island. Prior to excavations from the mid-1990s (Scally 2014) the lower part of its exterior and the ground surface in its vicinity were obscured by grass-covered rubble. Following excavations and conservation, it is now an impressive drystone building, which Scally (ibid., 42-3, 95-101, 302-3) describes as being almost square in plan internally (2.8m E-W; 2.7-2.8m N-S) with angular corners. Externally it is roughly rectangular in plan but with curving corners giving it a rounded shape. The walls range in width from 1.5m to 1.7m, apart from the W wall which is 0.6m wide. The maximum internal height is 2.8m and the walls are corbelled above 0.8m. Below this height the walls are constructed of large rectangular boulders; above it the masonry consists of smaller stones. Access is via a low splayed doorway in the centre of the E wall. The innermost lintel of the three that survived in situ over it is a reused cross-slab (GA021-026048-). The N jambstone is possibly another reused cross-slab (GA021-026080-) and a third broken cross-slab (GA021-026055-) was reused in the paved floor. Possible wall cupboards were noted in the W and N walls. Beneath the floor evidence of a smithing hearth was uncovered. Radio-carbon dating indicates that the metal-working activities associated with it date to sometime between the late 9th and early 11th century, pre-dating the clochan. Scally (ibid., 311-12) suggests that the clochan was built in the in the mid- to late 11th century. It may have been a communal building where food was prepared and consumed. (Healy 1890, 673-86; Macalister 1896, 197-210; Herity 1977, 52-69; White Marshall and Rourke 2000, 132-6) Compiled by: Olive Alcock Date of upload: 11 December 2015 This monument was taken into Ownership under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 - National Monument 52. The following images have been uploaded: GA021-026013-_01.jpg General view from E GA021-026013-_02.jpg Clochan from E GA021-026013-_03.jpg View from WNW GA021-026013-_04.jpg Corbelling Ga021-026013-_05.jpg Internal view of corbelling