A possible wheelhouse and a large midden were recorded at this location. An area of beach c.35m long is covered with a large pile of stone, possibly structural in origin. Within this pile of stone a posthole surrounded by upright stones was discovered as well as a possible hearth, again surrounded by upright stones. Walls could be seen in the sand section and several artefacts were collected. These included pieces of pottery, slag and a hammerstone. This all appears to lie within a rich organic layer containing pottery, shells and animal bone which continues S along the beach for quite a distance. This is possibly the same site as 640. It lies c.1.5m below the top of the dune and the midden itself is c.0.5-1m at this point. 22/09/2014 ShoreUPDATE: As described, but further erosion has exposed clear structural evidence of at least one wheelhouse. This comprises the northern part of the external circular wall, at least 2 internal piers, midden, hearth and floor deposits. There is a further spread of stone and midden a few metres to the north of the main exposure. Archaeological remains extend at least 50m along the coast edge and stone from the structures is spread across the upper part of the beach in front of these exposures. At least 5 mounds can be seen in the hinterland behind the coast edge here. It is possible they are the buried remains of further Iron Age settlement. August 2016 Erosion continues with some of the embedded stones either moved or fallen onto the beach. January 2020 There has been siginificant erosion after the last storm (Storm Brendan, 13th January 2020). Much of the stonework previously exposed has been eroded away, including the obvious pier of the Teanna Mhachair wheelhouse visible in previous photos (e.g. Jan 2019). The storm appears to have also deposited a significant depth of storm beach against the section, obscuring lower deposits at the base of the section. About 10m to the north of the wheelhouse, a new exposure has been created with a wall at its southern edge and considerable shell midden material to the north. |
March 2024. There has been considerable slumping and erosion of the coast edge over the winter 2023/24. The structures within the Teanna Mahchair wheelhouse have collapsed and the whole section is much tumbled and difficult to make out. The newly exposed building to the north has massive external walls, 3-4 courses high and jumbled stone between them. It looks like a newly eroding wheelhouse, circa 9m - 10m diameter. On the north side of the new structure is a wall and then 1m thick deposits of peat ash midden containing frequent animal bone and marine shell, moderate pottery and burnt and calcined bone. Rare fishbone and cramp. Building stone from these structures is strewn across the upper shore in front of them. |
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Image | Date | Caption | User |
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11/03/2024 | Midden deposits on north side of newly exposed structure | joannahambly | |
11/03/2024 | Tumbled stone within midden on north side of newly eroded structure | joannahambly | |
11/03/2024 | Known and previously recorded wheelhouse to south, now obscured by vegetation | joannahambly | |
11/03/2024 | Known wheelhouse to south, now obscured by vegetation | joannahambly | |
11/03/2024 | Overall view of newly exposed structre. Ranging rods on external wall | joannahambly | |
11/03/2024 | Detail of north wall of newly exposed structure | joannahambly | |
11/03/2024 | Whole view of new structure. Ranging rods are on the external wall | joannahambly | |
11/03/2024 | Detail of south wall of newly exposed structure | joannahambly | |
14/01/2020 | Jan 2020: detail of new exposure of stonework | rcauger | |
14/01/2020 | Jan 2020: New exposure of stonework and midden | rcauger | |
14/01/2020 | Jan 2020: Wheelhouse site | rcauger | |
25/05/2018 | May 2018: aerial view of coastal edge with extensive midden deposit to south of main section | EllieSCHARP | |
25/05/2018 | May 2018: aerial view of structures in main section | EllieSCHARP | |
25/05/2018 | Jan 2019: wheelhouse structures eroding from coastal section | Tom | |
07/08/2016 | September 2019 detail of midden in eroding section. Photo: Andrew Cooper | PhotoRecord | |
07/08/2016 | September 2019 structures in section. Photo: Andrew Cooper | PhotoRecord | |
07/08/2016 | September 2019 eroding structures in section. Photo: Andrew Cooper | PhotoRecord | |
07/08/2016 | Aug 2016-View from SW | DavidNewman | |
22/09/2014 | Structures and midden in section May 2016 | training1 | |
22/09/2014 | General view of the site and coast edge May 2016 | training1 | |
22/09/2014 | detail showing midden and collapsed stonework in section by Susy Macaulay | PhotoRecord | |
22/09/2014 | View along the coast edge showing midden and walling by Susy Macaulay | PhotoRecord | |
22/09/2014 | Detail of masonry eroding from the coast edge by Susy Macaulay | PhotoRecord | |
22/09/2014 | Central part of site between the column of masonry and an orthostat by Susy Macaulay | PhotoRecord | |
22/09/2014 | Detail of the column of masonry, eroding from the coast edge by Susy Macaulay | PhotoRecord | |
22/09/2014 | Stonework and midden eroding from the coast edge by Susy Macaulay | PhotoRecord | |
22/09/2014 | General view of the site in the coast edge by Susy Macaulay | PhotoRecord | |
09/11/2014 | Aerial view from S | DavidNewman | |
09/11/2014 | Wheelhouse structures | DavidNewman | |
22/09/2014 | View of main exposure looking N | training1 | |
22/09/2014 | General view looking SE, main exposure on background. Note spread of stone on upper beach | training1 | |
22/09/2014 | Closer view of internal structure | training1 | |
22/09/2014 | Closer view of external curving wall | training1 | |
22/09/2014 | Remains of wheelhouse, looking E. Curving wall to left (north) of image, internal structures to right (south) | training1 | |
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4721 | 11/03/2024 | joannahambly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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3340 | 14/01/2020 | rcauger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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3325 | 25/05/2018 | EllieSCHARP | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2722 | 07/08/2016 | DavidNewman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1787 | 22/09/2014 | training1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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