Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Visible on aerial photographs taken in 1963 (CUCAP AIG064) and 1966 (CUCAP APA056/API002). Occupying both the moderately steep, SE-facing, pasture slope of a minor valley and the level valley floor, through which a small stream (now dried up) flowed SW, and overlooked by slightly higher ground WSW-N-NE. A series of low earthen banks and associated shallow fosses extends over a large, roughly rectangular area (est. dims. L c. 350m NW-SE; Wth c. 300m NE-SW) on the site of 'Cell céli críst' (KD020-007002-) an early monastery where a preceptory of Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem (KD020-007003-) was subsequently founded in the 13th century, and immediately to the S and W of which a section of the Pale Boundary runs (KD020-008----). While the existence of an enclosure around the early monastery is to be expected, there is no obvious visible surface trace of one, the visible earthworks being mainly rectilinear in outline and probably the result of the very extensive medieval activity on the site; including a large rectangular enclosure which is presumably associated with the preceptory. (Manning 1982, 213, 219)

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 10 June 2011

References

CUCAP - Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Unit for Landscape Modelling, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge. See:https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com

Manning, C. 1981-2 Excavation at Kilteel Church, Co. Kildare. Journal of the County Kildare Archaeological Society 16, 173-229.