Linear earthwork

The National Monuments Service's description

The area which would later be called 'The English Pale', from the Latin 'palus', a stake, and also possibly from the name of an earthen fortification at Calais in France (Lydon 1972, 261), originated in the 14th century when Norman settlers began fortifying their lands in counties Dublin, Kildare, Louth and Meath against attack by the native Irish. By 1435, ongoing attacks, probably primarily aimed at cattle theft (Ó Ríordáin 1971, 15), prompted the concept of an additional, linear defensive feature, the boundaries of which were defined in a 1488 Act of Parliament as extending, 'from Merrion inclusive to the waters of the Dodder, by the new ditch to Saggard, Rathcoole, Kilheel (Kilteel), Rathmore and Ballymore (Eustace), thence to the county of Kildare into Ballycutlan (Coghlanstown), Harristown and Naas, and so thence to Clane, Kilboyne, and Kilcock' (McNeill 1950, 250). In 1494, Parliament directed that, 'every inhabitant, earth tiller and occupier in said marches (borderlands), do build and make a double ditch six feet high above ground at one side or part which meareth next unto Irishmen between this and next Lammas (August 1st.), the said ditches to be kept up and repaired as long as they shall occupy said land.' However, Ellis (Ellis S. G. 'The emergence of the English Pale in Ireland' in Irish Historical Studies) points to a statute in Poyning's parliament in 1495 for 'ditches to be made aboute the Inglishe pale' as the first application of the term to Ireland. The Pale contracted eastwards in subsequent years and it is not certain if its original extent was ever completely ditched. By the 17th century the Pale had ceased to have any real political or defensive significance.
Only a few short sections have been positively identified in Co Kildare; in Kilteel Upper/Cupidstown near Rathmore (KD020-008-----), in Bishopsland just SW of Ballymore Eustace (KD029-039----), at Castlebrown or Clongowes (KD010-021----/KD014-008----) and finally, the best preserved, semi-continuous portion which runs for c. 3365m through the townlands of Ballybrack, Ballyloughan, Clonduff, Clonfert South and Graiguepottle, c. 5km N of Clongowes (KD010-001----).
In Kilteel Upper/Cupidstown, a 1966 aerial photograph (CUCAP APA056) shows extensive earthworks around the early monastic foundation of 'Cell céli críst' (KD020-007002-) upon which a preceptory of Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem (KD020-007003-) was founded in the 13th c. Manning (1981-82, 213, 219) subsequently identified some of the earthworks which ran to the S and W of the preceptory as being part of the Pale Boundary (traceable L c. 1100m). The main line of the earthwork, to the S of the ecclesiastical remains, was a shallow ditch (Wth 3.5m; D 0.6m) with a broad, low earthen bank (Wth 6.5m; H 0.6m) 'outside', to S, and a low, earthen, bastion-like projection was also noted. A small, overgrown section of the earthwork c. 750m E of the ecclesiastical remains was subsequently excavated archaeologically as it lay on the line of the Cork-Dublin Gas-pipeline (O'Donnell 1987, 110; Cleary et al. 1987, 106-110). An earthen bank (H 1.27m; Wth 2m) had a shallow, 'outer' ditch (Wth 2.26m; D 0.23m) to SW, while second 'inner' ditch to NE had been recently recut. A palisade-trench (D 0.38m; Wth at top 0.34m; Wth at base 0.24m) was found running along the top of the bank.

See attached Google Earth aerial photos taken 04/05/2019 and 02/04/2013 showing pale ditch to S of Kilteel church and graveyard

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 10 June 2011

References

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

Cleary, R.M., Hurley, M.F. and Twohig, E. 1987 Archaeological excavations on the Cork-Dublin Gas Pipeline (1981-1982). University College Cork.

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

McNeill, C. (ed.) 1950 Calendar of Archbishop Alen's Register c. 1172-1534. Dublin. Royal Society of Antiquaries.