Enclosure in Glantane

A rectangular enclosure, defined by an earthen bank and external fosse, with some low mounds and an alleged souterrain in the interior. The site resembles the moated sites which functioned as the defended farmsteads of the Norman colonists who settled in Ireland in the 13th and early 14th centuries, though these are mainly concentrated in the S and E of the country (Barry 1977). However, the possible presence of a souterrain here suggests an earlier origin. The site is situated on a gentle S facing slope at the foot of Flemingstown mountain, about 100m N of a small stream which flows W towards Anascaul. It is surrounded by fair pastureland which gives way to wet, marshy ground as it approaches the stream. the site is square in plan, measuring 43m ENE-WNW and NNE-SSW internally. The bank is best-preserved along the W and N sides and attains a maximum internal height of 1.55m at the NW corner. It rises 3.45m above the base of the fosse at the same point. The bank along the S side is much eroded and averages only .4m in height internally and c. 1.5m externally. The fosse can be traced around most of the perimeter but its condition varies considerably. Along the W side it is protected by a field wall, which runs on top of its outer edge, and this section was at one time used as a laneway (local information). These factors probably contributed to its relatively good preservation in this sector. It is 1.2m deep externally, 3.45m deep below the crest of the bank and it averages 2.8m in width at base. On the other 3 sides it averages only .15 to .2m in depth and disappears completely in places. There are several breaks through the bank on the E and S sides. The best-defined, and the most likely original entrance, lies roughly midway along the S side. It is 1.6m wide and slopes upwards to the interior which is slightly raised above the external ground level. A single slab set into the E side of the gap suggests the possibility that it may formerly have been faced with stone. The fosse is only vaguely discernible in this area but there is no definite evidence of a causeway. The interior of the enclosure slopes gently downhill to S and is traversed by a series of N-S cultivation ridges. A low mound, 9.2 x 9m, is located directly S of centre. A large, flat slab, lying at its NW edge, has a centrally-positioned, circular depression, measuring .06m in diameter and .035m deep. Ashe (1954, 21-2) stated that this seals the entrance to a souterrain but it is not clear whether he was recording an old tradition or whether he was influenced by the results of an investigation carried out in 1937 by O'Connell (NMI). O'Connell probed this mound and another to N, and under both he traced 'a continuous layer of stone' about .15m below the surface; this feature was also present for c. 5m to N and S of the large slab. He also dug a pit about 3m S of the slab and about. 15m below the surface he came upon what he considered to be a deliberately-set layer of small, flat stones. Under one of the stones he discovered a small, square flint flake. He further noted that 'loose earth trickled into the prodding holes as if an outlet existed below'. A short distance W of the N mound is a very ill-defined raised area which may be the remains of a house-site but the area has been much disturbed by the cultivation ridges and definite interpretation is not possible. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 1526. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 5 August 2013