Enclosure in Bray

Located on the well-drained SE facing slopes of Bray Head, close to the SW tip of Valencia Island, this site consists of a large, irregular enclosure associated with four other enclosures, several house sites and the remains of a corn-drying kiln (Mitchell 1989, 47-50). A number of surrounding fields with high lynchets may be contemporary with the remains, and a series of cultivation ridges (KE087-025003-) overlies the entire complex. The large enclosure is polygonal in plan and is defined by a bank of earth and stone which averages 1m high and encloses an area with an average internal diameter of 100m. Incorporated into its S side is a rectangular enclosure, measuring 25m 20m, the S side of which is undercut by the track that leads to the signal tower on Bray Head. Located about 7m N of this enclosure is a rectangular house platform, which measures 14m 7m. A possible entrance feature to this is located at E. Some 5m N of the house site are the remains of a stone-built corndrying kiln. These were excavated in 1993 and a charcoal sample from a drain associated with the kiln (KE087-025001-) yielded a radiocarbon date of 934±110 AD (Hayden 1994, 41). Overlying the N side of the main enclosure is a rectangular enclosure (KE087-025005-), which measures 30m x 7m. Extending from the latter's W side is an earthen embanked enclosure (KE087-025002-) which measures 40m x 20m. This contains the sod-covered foundations of a rectangular hut, 2.7m x 2.4m, a stretch of a curving bank which averages .7m high, and a shallow depression measuring 1.1m x 1m, possibly a borrow-pit. In the adjoining field to W are the earth and stone foundations of four house sites. Two of these average 12m x 4m and are subdivided into two rooms. The others are heavily disturbed by the overlying cultivation ridges. The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 707. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 29 July 2013