Barrow — ring-barrow in Porterstown (cooke)

Monument surveyed in 2015 and described by McGuinness (2015, 63-5) as following: ‘Large, well-preserved ring-barrow (Diam. 32.2m c. N-S) in high relief, its N half and parts of its S perimeter now covered by vegetation. It comprises a roughly circular, flat-topped central mound or platform (Diam. (top) 17.1m N-S; Diam. (base) 19.9m) with sharply defined upper edge and steeply sloping sides, its upper surface sloping down gently to S, which is surrounded by a ditch and a large, flat-topped outer bank. Mound rises 0.74m over ditch on SW side. Ditch is broad, deep and flat-bottomed through U- to V-shaped in section where best preserved, reaching a width of 2.8m at E side where it is not overgrown; in its S side are remains of fallen trees and other vegetation. Where largest on SW side, bank is 2.8m in width and rises 1.28m over base of ditch and 0.65m over nearest part of central platform; although it rises 2.72m over external ground level at this point, its outer face plunges down to the broad side of a large, possibly natural, crescent-shaped hollow (see below) which runs from SW-W, making it difficult to discern where bank ends and natural slope begins; giving a much better sense of actual height of constructed bank, the corresponding measurement just a few metres to E is only 0.74m. Bank is lowest on SE side of monument, where it rises only 0.27m above external ground level. On E side of monument, running approximately radially across ditch from ENE-WSW is what appears to be a causeway or partially uncut stretch of ditch, 3.10m in width and reaching a height of 0.43m above base of ditch immediately to NW. In its current state this feature is quite irregular in appearance, perhaps due to erosion, and it dips down slightly in the centre so that it is lower than both external bank and central platform; nonetheless it has the rough appearance of a causeway and was tentatively identified as such, along with a corresponding gap in the bank (see below), by the ASI fieldworker who visited the site on 19/5/71 [SMR file]. There appears to be a breach in the outer bank beside the ‘causeway’ but this is much narrower than the latter and even less regular in appearance, with bank on its N side being much higher and more massive than on S side, where it has been much reduced in height. The bank becomes more massive at the point where the natural ground surface begins to plunge down dramatically as a natural escarpment around NW half of monument, further increasing the apparent height of bank; this appears closely similar to the situation at SW, where bank rises by 0.66m close to the point where its outer face plunges into the crescent-shaped hollow (see above). The bank is much lower and less massive on SE half of monument. In a postscript, the ASI fieldworker who visited this site on 19/5/71 makes a case for the causeway and corresponding gap being secondary, drawing on observations of certain features which appear now to be concealed by fallen trees and other vegetation on S side of monument: The gap and “causeway” at the E would appear to be later features. The trench which cuts through the bank and fosse on the S. extends round to E. and has a slight bank along its NW side. The bank is against the inner side of the fosse between S. and E. it crosses the fosse to make causeway-like features [SMR file]. Monument is located on a low rise in undulating pasture, right on the brink of a natural escarpment, and up against what appears to be a second, at least partly natural, crescent–shaped hollow, so that the height of its NW edge, where the bank is most massive, is greatly exaggerated by the natural slope. The irregular, stony ground at the base of the crescent-shaped hollow might preserve the foundations of some structure if it does not indicate recent quarrying; the ASI accounts of 19/5/71 and 3/7/78 both identify the hollow as a disused quarry [SMR file]. But for vegetation, visibility would be fairly good on all sides, with a prominent hill (153m OD) visible to N, on the summit and slopes of which are further barrows (WM020-087----; WM020-143----), including the tightknit Rathnarrow group (to be dealt with next season). Barrow lies roughly midway between two kettle-hole lakes, the nearest visible c. 130m to ESE and the second c. 160m to WNW. Three further ring-barrows lie within c. 750m of this barrow on the opposite, northern side of the Royal Canal and railway line in Porterstown (WM027-019----) and Riverstown (WM027-020----; WM027-021----) townlands. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by David McGuinness. Date of upload: 10 February 2016