Enclosure, Ballycrenane, Co. Cork

Co. Cork |

Enclosures

Enclosure, Ballycrenane, Co. Cork

At Ballycrenane in County Cork, something circular lies just below the surface of a field, invisible to anyone walking across it but legible from the air as a ghost pressed into the crop.

This kind of mark, known as a cropmark, appears when buried features affect how plants grow above them, typically by retaining more moisture or restricting root growth. The result, in the right season and from the right altitude, is a faint difference in colour or height that traces the outline of a structure long since levelled.

What the aerial record shows here is a univallate circular enclosure, meaning a roughly circular area defined by a single surrounding bank or ditch, with a diameter of approximately thirty metres. Enclosures of this type are among the most common monuments in the Irish landscape and are generally associated with the early medieval period, often serving as farmsteads or small settlement sites. The interior of this one carries an additional detail worth noting: a darker mark that may indicate the presence of a souterrain, an underground passage or chamber built from stone, typically used for storage or as a place of refuge. Souterrains are frequently found in association with early medieval settlements, and their dark signature in aerial photography usually reflects disturbed or more organic soil within the buried structure.

Rated 0 out of 5

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of Pete F
Pete F
IrishHistory.com is passionate about helping people discover and connect with the rich stories of their local communities.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Enclosure, Ballycrenane, Co. Cork. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 100 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.

Advertisement