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 (O'Riordáin 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' (Mc Neill 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----).
A section of the boundary was identified in Bishopsland by Patrick Healy (FF 1976, 5). It consists of a narrow trackway (av. Wth 2.1m) running N-S (original traceable L c. 660m) flanked along its E and W sides by a low earthen bank (int. H 0.2-0.3m; Wth 3.2m; ext. H 0.9m). The W bank has been narrowed along its outer (W) face by the construction of a modern access road running parallel to it, while the S section of the monument (L c. 270m) has been levelled by the construction of a large municipal water treatment works, although sub-surface archaeological deposits may survive intact.

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 16 September 2013