Souterrain in Bray

In the NE quadrant of an early medieval house (KE087-080008-). This souterrain, which was discovered during the excavation of the house, was described by Hayden (2000b, 3-5) and the following is a summary of that description. The entrance comprised a circular shaft partially blocked by a fallen stone, which led via a short tunnelled creepway (H 0.4m) into chamber 1 (Wth 1.1m; H 0.9m; long axis NW-SE). Access to chamber 1 from the creepway was partially blocked by a vertically set slab. The earthen sides of this chamber were unlined and its roof lintels had partially collapsed. A 'porthole' slab restricted access between chamber 1 and chamber 2 immediately to the S. The underside of the slab, which was only 0.3m above the floor level, had a slight notch cut in its centre to facilitate passage through it. Chamber 2 (L 2.2m; Wth 0.4-0.6m; H c. 1m; long axis N-S) was also unlined and roofed with lintels. At its S end a third creepway was constructed by placing lintels across the chamber, 0.7m above the floor level, and filling the space above with drystone-walling. Chamber 3 (L 4.6m; Wth c. 1m; H 0.9-1m; long axis NW-SE) was irregular in plan and, apart from its NE side, was lined with poorly built drystone-walling of small stones. A small blind outshoot occurred on the W side. Another creepway, at the S side of chamber 3, led into chamber 4. This creepway (Wth 0.4m; H 0.45m) had drystone-walled sides and was roofed with lintels. Chamber 4 (L 2.5m NE-SW) had unlined earthen sides and its W end was roofed by one large lintel. The lintels which must have covered the E end of the chamber did not survive. A possible air-vent was noted in the W end. The excavator concluded that the souterrain had been constructed prior to the building of the hut site as several of its lintels underlay and partly supported the walls of the hut site (Hayden 2000b, 3). Chambers 3 and 4 extend beyond the limits of the hut site. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Kerry. Volume I: South-West Kerry' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 30 May 2011