What is recorded here

Kilcashel Ecclesiastical Enclosure is a large circular earth and stone bank in County Donegal, Ireland, where thick oyster shells still mark the depth of human presence. A narrow hollow way cuts through rock to its edge, suggesting traffic and ceremony long before modern walls divided the ground. The graveyard now occupies part of the circle, continuing to use the place for death and memory.

Recorded in 1981 as the 'remains of a large circular enclosure bounded by remains of an earth and stone bank best preserved from SW-W-N-E. The bank is eroded down to the interior from NW-N-E. From SW-W-N where the site is overlooked by a hillslope the bank drops appreciably into the interior and rises only very slightly on the outside. The SE quadrant is now occupied by a modern D-shaped graveyard enclosed by a modern dry stone masonry wall. A modern N-S stone wall divides a segment of the site from the rest on the W. A hollow way leads from the monument c. 45m to the SSW and it may be an ancient roadway. The N end of the hollow way appears to have been cut through rock. The hollow way is 3m wide at the bottom. At the N end of the hollow way there may have been a gap 3m wide in the enclosure bank but it is now blocked by a slight relative modern looking bank. The interior has many humps and outcrops. The NE quadrant of the bank has been partly bulldozed away very recently. Very black earth and stones are visible where portions of the bank remain and thick deposits of oyster shells are visible for a depth of about 1m from the top' (SMR File 1981). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload/revision: : 02 September 2010.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.