1988:30 - KILLELTON ORATORY, Killelton, Kerry

This excavation, which started in 1987, was completed over a three week period in June and July.

In the area immediately east of the church a series of habitation features, including spreads of charcoal enriched clay, pits and stake holes was found to extend under the east wall and clearly predated the church. A similar series of features was excavated in a new cutting in the centre of the church and must also predate it.

An early, stone covered drain ran along the inner face of the south wall and out under the threshold stone of the west doorway. This had apparently destabilised and caused the collapse inwards of much of the wall. It was rebuilt in the 1890s on its partly dislodged lower courses but the entire wall has now been more securely reconstructed during conservation work following the excavation.

Another stone covered drain was found running parallel to the outer face of the south wall and around the south west corner. The basal course of stones at this corner had partly subsided into the drain causing the collapse of the corner. When rebuilt, possibly in the 1890s, the corner was bonded into a late wall running westwards from it, but this has now been corrected in the reconstruction.

The only ancient finds recovered were some quern fragments, hammer stones and two fused polygonal beads of black glass.