Settlement deserted - medieval

The National Monuments Service's description

The upstanding remains of the settlement consisting of a motte and bailey (TS059-127001-) and church and graveyard (TS059-127002-; TS059-127003-). The medieval castle (TS059-143----) and parish church (TS059-142----) are located c. 0.9km to NW. Possible medieval plots, assocatiated with the settlement are visible on aerial photograph (CUCAP AYO 44, 10/07/1969) and survive as c. 6 linear banks (Wth 6.7m; H 0.35-0.55m), very low in profile running N-S across a field immediately N of Kilfeakle church. The banks are c. 31m apart and the two western banks (L 126m) extend from a linear sod-covered stone bank (Wth 4m; H 0.5m; L 36m) which runs parallel (long axis E-W) c. 1.5m to N of modern graveyard wall. The N terminus of the parallel banks ends in a scarp (Wth 2.6m; H 0.6m). These linear banks are possibly associated with a medieval settlement but appear to be best described as a field system with a possibility that there is a medieval settlement at the S end near Kilfeakle church where there are more undulations. Two ring-barrows (TS059-146---- and TS059-147----) have been identified within the area of the field system. A limited excavation in 1999 was carried out to the W of the church and graveyard at Kilfeakle (Hanley 2000, 288). It revealed a limited amount of medieval material in association with several undated (and therefore of potential archaeological interest) features (ibid.). These were mostly furrow cuts and ploughmarks, with occasional large pits and larger, trench-like cuts (ibid.). There was a higher concentration of features to the north of the site (ibid.). The nature of the archaeology suggested agricultural or gardening usage (ibid.). There was further excavation to the W of the motte (TS059-127001-) in 2001 (O'Brien 2003, 384). This produced evidence of pits, stone spreads and plough-furrows, which appear to relate to extant linear earthworks N of and in the same field as the development site. In situ medieval pottery was found in some of these features. The other test-trenches produced further evidence of pits, metalled surfaces and plough-furrows, but no ceramic evidence was found. The closeness of these features to the definite medieval features, the similarity of the features, and the close proximity of the motte suggest that the archaeological features represent evidence of the manorial occupation of Kilfeakle after 1192 (ibid.).

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 18 October 2013

References

Hanley, K. 2000 Kilfeakle: Medieval. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 1999: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 288. Bray. Wordwell.

O'Brien, R. 2003 Kilfeakle: Medieval. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2001: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 384. Bray. Wordwell.