Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated in large rolling field with hill to E and S and another rising to SW. Views hindered by hills and rising ground. No visible trace of this site above ground. All field boundaries have been removed and the field reclaimed. Site indicated as irregular area defining Killederdadrum graveyard on 1st ed. OS 6-inch map but is not indicated on 2nd ed, though 'it was known locally that the site was a graveyard and it was called 'The Kyle Field' or 'Kylederrydadrum' (1984, 239). It was excavated in 1979 by Con Manning, OPW (1984, 237-268) when a much denuded oval enclosure was still visible. Excavation revealed 'Early Christian occupation contemporary with the enclosure and later burials often cutting across the occupation features. The entrance area, on the south-east, was excavated yielding an undug causeway and post-holes for a gate. The foundation trench of a circular house was found at the west end of the enclosure, and tow similar house sites, one replacing and partly on top of the other, were uncovered on the north side. There was a small annex-type feature outside the enclosure to the west. The ditches of the Annex stopped short of the main enclosure ditch and some cultivation furrows were found within it. A few of the burials can be dated to post-medieval times and the remainder may be of the same date, as none of them are demonstrably early. There was a small standing stone near the centre of the site but excavation around it threw no light on its dating or purpose. Most of the small finds recovered, including a piece of E-ware, can be assigned on the Early Christian period' (1984, 237). The standing stone may have been used as a grave marker during a later period of use, possibly associated with the burial of unbaptised children (1984, 262).

The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 22 September 2008