Field system in Carrigans Upper

In undulating pasture, extending across an extensive area (c. 1.2km x 1km) of rocky limestone pasture. A system of relict fields, enclosed by low denuded earthen banks and stone walls, is evident. The field system is sinuous and of no regular pattern. The S portion consists primarily of earth and stone banks with or without associated fosses. In the SE corner is a pentagonal field (20m N-S; 22m E-W) defined by an earth and stone bank (int. H 0.35m; ext. H 0.45m) with an external fosse (D 0.4m) or drain on the NE, SE, SW and NW sides. The N side is defined by a WSW-ENE relict field bank (int. H 0.65m) with a relict drain (D 0.7m) on its N side. A short stretch of a relict field bank abuts it at S. The remains of a five-roomed rectangular house (c. 3m N-S, c. 19m E-W) (SL033-060002-), with low earth and stone walls, is adjacent to the NW corner of this field. Immediately to SW of the pentagonal field is a wedge-shaped field (19m NE-SW; Wth 7.6m W end; Wth 5m E end) defined by an earth and stone bank (int. H 0.3m; ext. H 0.8m) on all sides with an external fosse (D 0.45m) on the W, N and part of the S sides. The fosse kinks around the S side of an adjacent two-roomed rectangular house (SL033-060004-). Similar small relict fields are visible to E and SE. In the N portion of the field system, in the vicinity of a cliff-edge fort (SL033-196----), is a series of low drystone walls extending across an extensive area of outcropping limestone. Numerous monuments occur within the field system including a cashel and souterrain (SL033-067001; SL033-067002-), two raths (SL033-061----; SL033-066----), two cliff-edge forts (SL033-056----; SL033-058----), a moated site (SL033-053----), a rectangular enclosure (SL033-060003-), a hut site (SL033-196----) and several enclosures (SL033-054----; SL033-057----; SL033-197----). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008