Robert M Chapple, Archaeologist

I've been busy ... busy being happy. Busy being happy and not writing ... I've been making gin [ here ] I've been making bowls [ here ] I've even got some bees [ here ] but most of all, I've been watching movies [ here ] ... so many movies! However, it's time to start releasing some of the movies that I've made of archaeological sites around the countryside. With that in mind, here's a meditative wander through Portora Castle, Co. Fermanagh. Portora is a Plantation Period castle and was built around 1612. I've written a little about it before & published some 3D photos, as well as recounted my part in the excavation of the site back in 1997 [ here ]. For now, enjoy this soothing, immersive 360 degree video  tour around this peaceful castle on the shores of Lough Erne ... You can view this 360-degree video on an ordinary browser or on the dedicated YouTube app for your smartphone. However, for best results we recommend the more immers...

< 3D Images < Table of Contents So far on this trip I’ve gone full prehistoric ( Knockmany ), followed it up with an excursion into the Early Christian and Medieval ( Errigal Keerogue ), but now it was time for a trip into the post-Medieval at Portora Castle. Essentially, I’ve been getting younger as I’ve traveled west. The castle is situated on the banks of the Erne and once controlled access between Upper and Lower Lough Erne. The standing structure was, essentially, four circular corner towers, linked by curtain walling, with a three-story house (two floors with attics) at the west end. Today, one of the corner towers is missing, having been eaten away by the river and the house only survives as a foundation line. The lands here were acquired by Sir William Coles in October 1612 and it is thought that the castle was constructed soon after. At some time before 1621 the site was the residence of a Preacher called Mr Stack. The site was leased or sold on to Bisho...

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In March 2015 I had decided to go to wonderful Sligo to be part of the Weather Beaten Archaeology conference, to be held at IT Sligo. Although the festivities did not kick off in earnest until 8pm on the Friday, I set off from Belfast quite early. My plan – and I did have one! – was to stop off along the way and see some archaeological sites that I’ve either never visited, or hadn’t been to see in far too long. As I’ve described in my series of posts on Glendalough (also visited in 2015), my modus operandi was to travel with my Nikon D3200, my Manfrotto tripod, and a curious bit of kit that allows me to slide the camera along the line of its focal plane. These items, when used together in the right way, allow me to take near identical photographs that I can then combine (with a cool little piece of software) to produce 3D anaglyph images. The purpose of this post is to act as a Table of Contents to the various posts. As each post is published, the corresponding links wil...