Children's burial ground

The National Monuments Service's description

In the NE quadrant of a circular enclosure (SL031-043001-). A roughly triangular burial ground (c. 22m N-S; c. 25m E-W) defined N-ENE by a low curving bank (Wth 1.5m; H 0.4m) which is also part of the enclosing element of the circular enclosure, defined on the straight W side mainly by the foundations of a drystone wall (Wth 1.1m) with an earthen bank (Wth 2.5m; H 0.5m) at the N end, and defined on the straight S side by a scarp (H 1.8m). The entrance (Wth c. 3m) is at NE. Along the N arc the burial ground is cut into the hillslope and overlooked by a scarp (H 0.8-1.2m). The interior slopes down to S. While the N half contains many uninscribed grave-markers, there are very few in the S half. According to local information, the graveyard was used as a burial ground for unbaptized children. Named 'Grave Yard' on the 1838 OS 6-inch map and indicated as a roughly triangular area (c. 40m NE-SW; c. 40m NW SE) abutting the now levelled field boundary along the SW side. Noted by Wood-Martin (1887-8, 275), as an unfenced burial ground 'wherein children and strangers are still buried' and 'until very lately even adults of the neighbourhood were laid in it'. There is a rath (SL031-044001-) c. 50m to NNE.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005).

Date of upload: 18 January 2008