Enclosure, Rannagh, Co. Clare

Co. Clare |

Enclosures

Enclosure, Rannagh, Co. Clare

Above the 600-foot contour in the rough grazing lands of Rannagh, a small circular enclosure sits quietly within a much larger and older landscape.

Roughly fourteen metres in diameter and bounded by a stone wall that is substantial in places though partially reclaimed by vegetation, it is the kind of feature that can disappear entirely at ground level, becoming legible again only when seen from above. It was aerial imagery, captured between 2011 and 2018, that brought it back into focus.

The enclosure sits within what has been identified as an extensive multiperiod field system, meaning the surrounding landscape carries traces of agricultural organisation from more than one era, the boundaries, banks, and walls of different periods overlapping and persisting in the same terrain. Circular stone enclosures of this type are found across Ireland in upland settings and are difficult to date without excavation; they may represent early medieval farmsteads, stock enclosures, or earlier forms of land management entirely. The Rannagh example was documented by Conn Herriott, who identified it through comparative analysis of satellite and aerial photography. A second possible enclosure lies roughly 85 metres to the south-east, raising the question of whether the two features formed part of a related complex rather than representing isolated incidents in the landscape.

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, Rannagh, Co. Clare. 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