Sweathouse in Caherlehillan

The following description of this monument has been kindly provided by Aidan Harte: 'This sweathouse was discovered during an archaeological survey undertaken in 2002. It is located in the parish of Killinane and the barony of Iveragh and is near the head of the Ferta River. Here, a tributary stream of the Ferta River flows south from Been Hill and it is adjacent to the stream that the sweathouse is found on the western bank. The bank is formed at two levels; the present bank and a second dry embankment face, set further to the west. Between these two banks there is a narrow terrace, or platform, on which the structure is positioned. This location is relatively hidden and is also level, on an otherwise moderately sloped hillside. The surrounding land is agricultural and used as rough grazing. The concealed position of the sweathouse means that there is only a view directly south, to Coulagh townland, on the opposite side of the valley and the distant mountains beyond. The structure is well preserved. The sweathouse is sub-circular in plan although it may be argued at there is a D-shaped element to it, as the frontal façade is far straighter than the other walls. To the north of the structure, a sub-rectangular area is defined by a low wall built against the western bank/scarp. This bank/scarp turns at the northern end to join the present river bank to the east. The eastern boundary is formed by a drystone wall, 1.1m high and 0.55m wide and midway along this wall, there is an entrance gap facing the river. This break in the wall measures 0.68m in width and the river is never more than 1m from the eastern wall. The sweathouse forms the southern boundary of this enclosed area of 17m2. The stones of the enclosing wall are not interwoven with those of the sweathouse and so, the drystone wall was built subsequent to the Sweathouse. The structure is of drystone corbelled construction and is very similar to a bee-hive shaped cell. The western wall is built into the bank/scarp on this side. The latter is the same height as the external roof height of the structure – approximately 1.5m – but no covering of earth or sod remains. The entrance is on the northern side, opening into the enclosure. The simple flat-lintelled doorway measures 0.62m in height and 0.46m in width at the base. The entrance also narrows slightly towards the top lintel. At the entrance the wall is 0.5m in maximum thickness. Internally, the sub-circularity/D-shaped layout becomes more apparent. The internal space measures 1.62m east-west by 1.48m north-south and the maximum height to the corbelled ceiling is 1.4m. The final stones of the corbelled roof are currently not closing the roof, but the medium sized slabs indicate the ease at which this smoke outlet could have been opened or closed. Furthermore, while there are stones littering the floor of the interior, there are not enough to indicate any substantial collapse. There are no scorch marks evident on the internal walls. The water source used with this sweathouse would logically be the adjacent mountain stream and this is further testified to by the fact that the enclosure opens out in this direction. The nearest archaeological sites are hut sites (KE070-037----/038----/039----) found on both sides of the stream, but ruined sites of foundations only and probable belong to the medieval period. The nearest post-medieval houses are over 115m to the west and the stone cashel (KE070-042----) and early ecclesiastical site (KE070-043----) are further west again. Therefore, the sweathouse location may be considered isolated within a townland otherwise dense in archaeological remains. There is no local tradition of sweathouse use in this area and the landowner presumed this structure to have been built for lambing.' (Harte 2008) Compiled by: Aidan Harte Date of upload: 2 May 2017