Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

In pastureland. This large subrectangular enclosure (c. 228m ENE-WSW; c. 173m NNW-SSE) is defined by two substantial earthen banks and a wide intervening fosse. An early medieval church (GA095-016----) is roughly centrally located within its interior. A NE-SW running road, on the N side of the townland boundary, cuts across it from W to NE, and a NW-SE running driveway to a new house off this road cuts across it at NE. The inner bank (Wth 3m; int. H 0.7m; ext. H 1.8m) is clearly visible from NE to S to W; from W to NE only faint traces are visible at ground level. The fosse (Wth 3m) and outer bank (Wth 2.5m; int. H 1.3m; ext. H 0.2m) survive from NE to S to W. Within the SW quadrant of the interior an E-W running bank (Wth 2.5m; H 1m) may be an internal division. Redington (1912, 176-9) suggested that there may have been an earlier church here, indicating that this may be the remains of an early ecclesiastical enclosure. (McCaffrey 1952, no. 146, 83, 146)

Compiled by: Olive Alcock

Date of upload: 6 April 2020

References

McCaffrey, P. 1952 A contribution to the archaeology of the barony of Dunkellin, Co. Galway. Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.