What is recorded here

Glan Hill is a low, rounded enclosure on a grassy summit above the Pollbrandy stream, marked less by a built wall than by scattered boulders and a sharp change in slope. Inside, six small set stones run north-south across the top, possibly the ghost of a house wall or the last trace of a turf stack. The hill overlooks cooking mounds and small hut hollows nearby, suggesting people lived, cooked and worked there while exposing themselves to sight from higher ground behind.

Situated on summit of a low, oblong, rounded hillock in the commonage to NE of Knocknaveen (known locally as ‘Glan Hill’). The hillock overlooks the lower reaches of the stream labelled ‘Pollbrandy’ on Ordnance Survey six-inch maps, but is in turn overlooked by higher ground immediately to SSW. Three fulachtaí fia are visible from the enclosure, the closest (MA085-005004-) lying c. 60m to WSW on opposite bank of the stream. There is also a small circular hut (MA085-071----) c. 15m to W between the enclosure and the stream. The site comprises a possible settlement area, forming a very rough oval in plan, on the rounded grassy summit of the hillock (E–W c.18.6m, N–S >17.5m). Its limits are poorly defined and are indicated more by an absence of stone rather than by any clearly demarcated enclosing element. Along the western, north-western and northern sectors, its limits are comprised of a scarp composed of earthfast boulders. At NE an area of boulders indicate the limits. From NE through E to SE, its limits are suggested by nothing more than an increase in the amount of visible surface stone. Finally, the southern boundary is clearly defined by a sudden upward break of slope and a scatter of boulders. Within the interior, the most notable feature is a line of six small set boulders (L 7.2m), running N–S, which crown the hillock summit. Two further boulders at the southern end appear to indicate a turn towards S. These could possibly represent the remains of a house foundation but are more likely to be the last vestiges of a turf stack. Two hut hollows may, however, be associated with the settlement area (MA085-072----) that is set into the base of the hill slope to S and the oval hut (MA085-073----) that is set into the eastern slope of the hillock just outside its limits. The above description is derived from: New Survey of Clare Island. Volume 5: Archaeology. Edited by Paul Gosling, Conleth Manning and John Waddell. (Royal Irish Academy, Dublin. 2007). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Date of upload: 29 November 2018

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