Souterrain in An Clochán (tc Na Gleannta)

Situated on a SW facing slope overlooking Ventry Harbour, very poorly-preserved ringfort KE052-048---- contains the most extensive souterrain recorded on the Dingle Peninsula, as well as 2 possible hut-sites. When stones were being drawn from the site by the present landowner's father, a small, slab-lined grave was apparently uncovered, and discovered within this was an iron box containing coins. Souterrain: The souterrain is about 33m in total extent and is, for the most part, comprised of a labyrinth of irregularly-shaped chambers and narrow passages tunnelled out of the bedrock and subsoil. These are preceeded by 2 drystone-built chambers linked by a short creepway. To reach the 8th and final chamber it is necessary to pass through all but the 5th chamber which is a dead end at present. However, this may not always have been the case. One end of each of the tunnelled chambers is now blocked by collapse and it is possible that further linking passages remain concealed. However, there is an alternative explanation for this feature, and it would be necessary to excavate the site to determine which is correct. The original excavation of these tunnels would have generated a very large amount of spoil. It is difficult to imagine that all this would have been dragged laboriously back to the entrance which is located at one end of the 1st drystone-built chamber. It is more likely that one or more pits were dug down to the level of the souterrain and that the chambers and passages were dug from the base of these, the spoil being removed through the pit. The openings at the bottom of the pit would then have been walled off and the pit infilled with the spoil, so that no surface trace would now be discernible. Two possible 'spoil-pits' are suggested by the layout of the souterrain on the accompanying ground plan. These would be between chambers 3, 4 and 5 and between chambers 6, 7 and 8. Deane (1893, 106) noted that a skull and other bones were found in both chambers (4) and (7), and it is probable that Champneys (1910, 9) was referring to the same remains when he mentioned the remains of 2 bodies found in a sitting position in a very elaborate souterrain near Ventry. Chamber (1): This oval, dry stone-built chamber is aligned NNE-SSW, at right angles to chamber (2). It measures 2.2m x 1.4m and its flagged roof lies a maximum of 1.15m above the floor. The walls are slightly corbelled. The main entrance to the souterrain consists of a low gap, .63m wide and .37m high, below the southernmost roofing slab. A large quantity of fill and rubbish has accumulated in the entrance area and along the E wall. Consequently the floor slopes upwards in both directions. Passage (1): This lintelled, drystone-built creepway extends 1m in a WNW direction between the W side of chamber (1) and the E end of chamber (2), at ground level. It splays from a width of .6m at its E end to .45m at its W end and is .35m high. A porthole slab spans the passage c. 0.35m from its W end, but only the very edge of the porthole is visible and the dimensions of the passage are not reduced by its presence. Chamber (2): This sub-rectangular, drystone-built chamber is aligned E-W and measures 2.65m x 1.75m at base. The corbelled walls rise a maximum of 1.55m to the level of the 3 roofing slabs. A slight arching of the base of the wall at the SW corner overlies a hole in the floor which leads down to passage 2 by means of 2 steps. The remainder of the souterrain is rock-cut, though the upper portions of most of the chambers are cut through the overlying layer of stone and earth. Passage (2): This roughly L-shaped tunnel is entirely rock-cut. It extends 1.7m W and then 2.6m NNW before opening onto the SE side of chamber (3). It is a maximum of .9m wide and 1.2m high. Chamber (3): An entirely rock-cut chamber aligned SW-NE. It measures 4.15m in length, from 1.15 to 1.7m in width and the arched roof lies a maximum of 1.65m above the floor. A low, drystone-built wall at the SW end retains the collapse or spoil which closes this end of the chamber. Passage (3): This L-shaped passage leads from the S end of the N wall of chamber (3) to the middle of the NE wall of chamber (4). The 1st section runs NW for 1.5m and descreases in height and width from .85m and .65m at the beginning to .8m and .25m at its NW end. At the latter point it angles to run WSW for 1.2m and increases to .75m in width and 1m in height. Chamber (4): This chamber is aligned SE-NW and measures 5m in length, c. 1.4m in width and 1.6m in height. Tunnels opening off the NE, SW and NW sides lead to chambers (3), (5) and (6) respectively. The SE end of the chamber is obscured by collapse, and it is possible that this end originally linked up with the E end of chamber (5). Passage (4): This leads almost due S for 2.5m from the SW wall of chamber (4) to the N wall of chamber (5). It is a maximum of 1m wide and .85m high, and at about its mid-point it widens out to form a 'mini-chamber'. Chamber (5): This chamber is mostly cut through the earth and stone layer, only the very lowest part being rock-cut. It measures 5.2m N-S, a maximum of 1.2m E-W and a maximum of 1.55m in height. Its E end is blocked by collapse. Passage (5): This passage leads 1.5m in a NW direction from the NW end of chamber (4) to the SE side of chamber (6). A rock step leads from chamber (4) into the passage whose floor is .75m higher than that of the former. The opening between the 2 is only .4m wide, but the passage then increases in size to a width of .9m and a height of 1.02m before contracting again to a width of .45m where it meets chamber (6). Chamber (6): This measures 3.8m SW-NE, 1.2m NW-SE and is a maximum of 1.45m high. Its NE end is blocked by collapse. Passage (6) opens off its NW side, directly opposite the opening to passage (5). Passage (6): This extends 4.5m NE to the W end of chamber (7). It is the most difficult part of the souterrain to negotiate as it is only .35m wide and .55m high at its mid-point. Its NE end curves round to the E before opening into the successding chamber. Chamber (7): This chamber is in 2 parts. The 1st section is aligned E-W and is 2.5m long and a maximum of 1.8m wide. The 2nd section lies at right angles to the 1st and is 4m long, a maximum of 1.4m wide, and 1.65m high. Its S end is blocked by collapse and the N end is occupied by 2 rock-cut steps or ledges. Passage (7): This tunnel is also in 2 parts. The 1st section opens off the S end of the E wall of chamber (7). It runs eastwards for 1.35m and is a minimum of .45m wide and only a little less than chamber (7) in height. A rock-cut porthole occurs in its E end, about .75m above the floor. This feature is only .35m wide and .41m high. It leads into the 2nd portion of the passage which is at a higher level than the 1st. The 2nd passage is 1.5m long, up to 1.5m wide and .8m high. It gradually slopes down to meet chamber (8) at which point it is only .9m wide. Chamber (8): Passage (7) opens onto the NW wall of the final chamber. The latter is 4.5m long SW-NE, a maximum of 1.5m wide and 1.7m high. Its SW end is blocked by collapse. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 555. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013