Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Located towards the top of a prominent drumlin. The burial ground (LE031-039----) is at the centre of a grass-covered circular earthen enclosure (diam. c. 150m) defined by an earthen bank that is best preserved at NW (Wth of base 3.5m; H 0.65m) with a slight external fosse (Wth 2.5m), but it is reduced to a scarp (max. H 1m E-SE) over much of the perimeter elsewhere. There is no evidence of a church (LE031-039001-), but there is a burial ground (LE031-039001-) within the enclosure where the bullaun stone (LE031-039002-) was re-discovered. Archaeological testing (03E1788) c. 40m to the NNE of the perimeter at the closest point produced no related material (Read 2006), but archaeological testing (18E0707) in the SW quadrant identified a ditch (Wth 4-7m) on the line of the perimeter. Other features in this area were post-holes and pits containing animal bones and metal slag, suggesting that this part of the enclosure was devoted to industrial activity (McHugh 2019; exavations.ie 2019:075). The area was completely stripped in May 2020 under the same licence (McHugh 2021), revealing the ditch (L 33m; Wth of top 3.1-3.5m; D 0.65m plus) with three upper fills of clay with stones. The development site was subsequently back-filled, the fosse being preserved beneath a geotextile protective layer.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 11 May, 2015
Amended: 15 October, 2019, 10 January 2020, 3 August 2021

References

McHugh, T. 2019 Archaeological testing at Attirory, Co. Leitrim. First Part, Licence No. 18E0707. Unpublished report, Fadó Archaeology

Read, C. 2006 Attirory, Carrick-on-Shannon: no archaeological significance. in I. Bennett (ed.) Excavations 2003: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 298, No. 1093. Bray, Wordwell

McHugh, T. 2021 Archaeological Testing for a Residential Development at Attirory, Co. Leitrim. Licence: 18E0707. Unpublished report, Fadó Archaeology