County: Cork Site name: CASTLEMAGNER
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Mr. D.C. Twohig, Dept of Archaeology, University College Cork
Site type: Souterrain
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 544062m, N 602756m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.173781, -8.817820
This souterrain was first discovered about eight years ago when the ringfort within which it was situated was levelled. The present entrance is through the accidental opening made in the roof of the souterrain at that time. Since its discovery much collapse has taken place and because of the danger to livestock it became necessary to backfill the structure. Because of this and since this souterrain closely resembled another souterrain previously surveyed in Co. Cork , it was decided to excavate the structure.
The chamber of the souterrain was wedge-shaped in plan. Measurements on average were length 4m, maximum width 1.5m, minimum width 1.2m, height 1.4m. The dry built walls were corbelled from the ground up. There were approximately fourteen courses of corbelling topped by two, and in places three courses which projected well into the chamber to narrow the span so that it could be closed by the roofing slabs. From the narrow end of the chamber a ventilation shaft at roof level led out to the field surface. From the wide end of the chamber a creepway at floor level connected the chamber to an entrance shaft. This creepway measured 40cm in length, 40cm in height and 50cm in width. The floor of the entrance shaft sloped upwards towards the surface. The sides of the shaft were of dry built stone walling. A number of large slabs found in the fill of this shaft may have been used to close the mouth of the shaft in its original form.
A large quantity of bone, antler, horn and charcoal was recovered from the entrance shaft, but nothing in the form of datable artefacts was found.
