Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Geophysical survey (Licence no. 03R095) identified a large enclosure and field system (DU011-144003-) truncated by the Rathbeale road. The majority of the monument is located to the N of the road on high ground with extensive views over the surrounding countryside. Encompassing three concentric enclosures the large outer enclosure (c. 200m diam.) has an entranceway to the N. An inner enclosure (c. 130m diam.) enclosed a smaller enclosure (c. 70m diam.) containing burials (DU011-144002-). Test-excavation (Licence no. 03E1080) recovered a perforated stone bead, fragment of a decorated bone comb and an iron blade indicating an early medieval date (Baker 2010). Geophysical survey (Licence no. 04R023) and test-excavation (Licence no. 04E0543) in the field immediately to the east which is within the townland of Mooretown indicated the enclosure continued here. The inner enclosure ditch (3m in width) contained animal bone and a sherd of possible souterrain ware. Further geophysical survey (Licence no. 05R170) defined the southern limit of the enclosure south of the road, also within the townland of Mooretown. The monument is preserved in situ and is scheduled via the Oldtown LAP for inclusion in an archaeological park.

Compiled by: Christine Baker

Date of upload: 4 February 2015

References

Baker, C. 2010a Occam's Duck: Three Early Medieval ‘settlement/cemeteries' or ‘ecclesiastical' sites? in Corlett, C. and Potterton, M. (eds.), Death and burial in early medieval Ireland in light of recent archaeological excavations. Research papers in Irish archaeology, no. 2, 1-23. Wordwell Press. Bray.