Souterrain in Lecarrow (tireragh By., Skreen Ed)

In pasture, on a broad terrace, broken by limestone pavement, on the E side of Red or Skreen Hill. There is a rath (SL019-013----) 25m to NW and a cashel (SL019-260----) 25m to W. This souterrain consists of three well-built, interconnected chambers, in a roughly N−S line, constructed using both drystone and rock-cut techniques. At surface level a low, grass-covered linear rise (L 7-8m; Wth c. 1.5-2m; H 0.5) is visible. At the N end of the linear rise, there is a shallow, grassed-over sunken feature (1m N–S; 0.7m E-W; D 0.5m), faced on the W and N by drystone walling (H 0.4-0.5m). This may to be the remnants of an original entrance to the souterrain. At the S end of this sunken feature, there is an opening (Wth 0.7m; H 0.4m) into a short constriction or creep (L 0.6m N–S), roofed by a single lintel. It opens into the N end of a subrectangular chamber (Chamber 1) (L 1.25m; W 1.1m; H 1.33m at S end), with walls of drystone construction, roofed by a N-S row of three lintels. The E wall is straight, but the W wall curves inwards gently, so that the N end of the chamber narrows to the width of the entrance creep. The entrance creep, which is just below exterior ground level, opens into the chamber at the level of the lintelled roof. Soil and loose rubble of medium and large-sized stones infill the chamber, sloping down from the entrance creep to the base of the S wall of the chamber. This sloping infill conceals the original floor surface and part of the chamber walls. The slope highlights the discrepancy in height of c. 0.9-1m between the entrance creep, and floor level at the S end of the chamber, and it seems likely that it mirrors the original floor, which must slope down or be stepped in some way from N to S. At the W end of the S wall of Chamber 1, at floor level, there is another creep (L 0.6m; Wth 0.56m at base, 0.45m at top; H 0.53m at N end, 0.66m at S end). It is roofed with two lintels, resting on side walls which differ in construction: the E wall is formed of a single upright slab; the W wall is rock-cut at its base, above which there is drystone masonry, which inclines inwards gently towards the top. The creep opens into the middle of the N wall of Chamber 2 (L 1.97 NNE−SSW; Wth 1.58m; H 1.57m), which is subrectangular in plan. The lower portion (H 0.45-0.6m) of the walls are rock-cut, above which there is drystone walling. The walls incline inwards gently towards the top, and the upper course incorporates large limestone blocks, serving as corbels to support a row of three roof lintels. Towards the S end of the W wall, at a height of c. 0.7m above floor level, there is a rectangular recess or wall cupboard (Wth 0.3m; H 0.3m; D 0.4m) roofed with a single large stone block. The floor of Chamber 2 is covered with a mix of earth and loose stone rubble, which appears to be intrusive to a depth of at least 0.2m. In the centre of the S wall of Chamber 2, there is a creep (L 0.5m N−S; Wth 0.48m; H 0.54m) roofed by a single lintel. The W wall is formed by a single upright slab, and the E wall is drystone walling. The creep opens into the W end of the N wall of Chamber 3 (L 1.72m N−S; Wth 1.58m; H at least 1.5m), which is subrectangular in plan. The construction of the walls is similar to that of Chamber 2, with the lower levels (H 0.3-0.55m) cut from bedrock, above which there is drystone walling; in the S or back wall the bedrock rises to a height of c. 1.15m, reaching to just below roof level. Chamber 3 is roofed by three lintels of unequal size, the largest two covering the bulk of the roof space, with a third, narrow lintel at the N end. There is a well-built rectangular recess (H 0.23m; Wth 0.28m; D 0.44m) in the W wall, close to the NW corner, at a height of 0.85m above current floor level. In the SE corner of the chamber, just above floor level, there is a small natural opening (Wth 0.3m; H 0.2m) into an inaccessible fissure in the bedrock. The floor of the Chamber 3 is covered with earth and loose medium to large-sized stones. Attached images: SL019-203----01.JPG Surface opening to souterrain, viewed from N SL019-203----02.JPG Surface opening to souterrain at S end of sunken feature, viewed from E SL019-203----03.JPG Chamber 1, with creep to Chamber 2 in S wall SL019-203----04.JPG N end of Chamber 2, with creep to Chamber 1 SL019-203----05.JPG Recess in W wall of Chamber 2. Note rock-cut lower part of chamber wall SL019-203----06.JPG Creep between Chamber 2 and 3, viewed from within Chamber 3 SL019-203----07.JPG Chamber 3, showing creep into Chamber 2 SL019-203----08.JPG Recess in W wall of Chamber 3 Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 7 November 2018