Souterrain in Crumlin

The following description is derived from both the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1986) and the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 17 July 2007 Situated on W slope of a N-S ridge in gently undulating countryside. Discovered in 1985 during ploughing. The souterrain is drystone-built throughout, consisting of two passages set at right angles connected by a short passage at an upper level, thus forming an L-shaped plan. The present entrance is due to the delintelling of part of the upper passage. This upper passage, (L 3.5m, Wth 1m, H 1m) is aligned NE-SW and has drop-hole creeps at the SW and NE ends. The SW drop-hole (max. dims. 0.6m by 0.4m) gives access to a gallery-like passage (L 16m, Wth 0.9m, H 1.2m) extending NW-SE. This passage is filled almost to the lintels with badger spoil. It can be speculated that the original entrance to the souterrain was at some point beyond the SE end of this passage. The NE drop-hole in the upper passage gives access to a second gallery-like passage (L 20m, Wth 1-1.5m, H 1.1-1.6m) extending SW-NE-N. At several points the floor of the souterrain is cut into bedrock. This passage terminates in a squared-off widening forming a pseudo-chamber. No air-vents were visible at any point in the souterrain.