Settlement deserted - medieval

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated in a relatively low-lying position between drumlins. Graham (1974, 54) suggests that it was founded by Walter de Lacy before 1241 but the first reference to its charter is in the early fourteenth century Dowdall Deeds. In 1412 Thomas Fleming, Baron of Slane, had a licence for a weekly market and an annual fair at Drumcondra (Cogan 1867, 294). The settlement had declined by the seventeenth century but in the Civil Survey (1654) the manor of Drumcondra is still held by the Flemings of Slane. The survey describes it as a church and two waste castles (Simington 1940, 365), undoubtedly the mottes (ME006-010----; ME006-011----) located c. 425m to the N and c. 200m SW of the church site respectively. The mottes testify to its former importance, but it is never likely to have been more than a village centred on its NW-SE Main Street that widened at its NW end and could have incorporated a fair green. (Bradley and King 1985 35; Bradley 1988-9, 44)
Archaeological testing (98E0157) by Deirdre Murphy c. 60m NW of the graveyard produced no medieval material (excavations.ie 1998:506). Further archaeological testing (05E1296) by P. D. Sweetman on a plot (dims c. 100m N-S; c. 30m E-W) on the NE side of the Main Street had a similar result (excavations.ie 2005:1173).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of revision: 22 October 2018
Amended: 16 February 2021; 18 February 2021

References

Bradley, J. and King, H.A. 1985 Urban archaeological survey - county Meath. Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.

Cogan, Rev. A. 1862-70 Ecclesiastical history of the diocese of Meath: ancient and modern. (3 vols) Dublin: John Fowler, Joseph Dollard

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1940 The Civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol. V: county of Meath. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

Bradley, J. 1988-9 The Medieval Towns of County Meath. Riocht na Mídhe, vol. 8, No. 2, 30-49.

Graham, B. 1974 Medieval settlement in County Meath. Ríocht na Mídhe, 5, No. 4, 40-59.