1972:065 - KELLS (td. Rathduff), Kilkenny

In July and August 1972 excavations, prior to conservation works were carried out at this large medieval site (founded in 1198). The areas investigated included the nave and nave aisle and the cloister garth and ambulatories. Within the nave, the accumulation of burial and collapsed masonry had raised the level considerably. Excavation revealed some traces of the original wall plaster but, not surprisingly, few traces of the floor levels had survived. It was established that the western portion of the nave had been extended possibly when the western domestic range was completed. Foundations of what was probably a light masonry partition wall were found in the centre of the nave. This clearly related to a later period of the church’s use as the original wall plaster continued behind it. From within this portion of the nave a number of fine carved fragments were recovered including fragments of early medieval grave slabs. The latter had been re-used to form rough slab-lined tombs. One slab, so abused, contained a recessed carving of a man’s head and portion of an inscription. Small finds from the nave included some sherds of medieval and later pottery, floor tiles and painted window-glass.

The nave aisle and the aisle of the north transept had been used for burial purposes over quite a lengthy period. Removal of these deposits exposed the foundations of the outer wall of the aisle- only slight traces had survived. Scattered throughout the burial deposits and the accumulated rubble were dumps of carved stonework which included some cloister fragments (bases, capitals and shafts) and a large complete grave slab decorated with a floriated cross. Over two thousand fragments of decorated medieval floor-tiles were found. Although none were in situ it was clear that tile pavements composed of plain, stamped, line-impressed and mosaic tiles had originally adorned the floors of the church and probably other buildings in the Priory. The decorative patterns used on the line-impressed tiles are in general similar to those already known from comparable sites such as Mellifont and Jerpoint Abbeys, e.g. the lion rampant, floral and geometric designs. The stamped patterns included designs showing animals, birds, rosettes and the fleur de-lys. Further quantities of painted medieval window-glass were recovered. Although the fragments were small and in most cases poorly preserved enough have survived to reveal something of the patterns used.

The claustral area lies to the south of the nave and here the present ground level is considerably higher than within the church. Removal of the sod revealed a cobbled surface which, with some minor interruptions, covered the cloister area and also extended into the chapter house. The cobbles were well set and secured by means of rows of larger stones set end to end. An open drain, lined with large stones, crossed this yard from east to west and in the corners of the ambulatory were a number of associated wall-footings and shallow cobbled drains. Removal of portion of this cobbling showed that it had been constructed on a fill of stones, soil and slate laid down most likely to provide a level surface for the cobbles, but which also had the effect of raising the level of the claustral area considerably. The finds from this fill, which included a number of 16th century coins, suggested a terminus post quem for the cobbling sometime in the 17th century and its post-dissolution character was confirmed by the presence of re-used carved stonework in the open drain and amongst the cobbling itself. It seems likely therefore that the garth and the adjacent claustral buildings were utilised, probably for stabling purposes, by the later secular owners or tenants.

As the cobbles were removed the foundations of the cloister arcade walls were revealed. These had survived along all four sides of the ambulatory. At each corner they had already been located, probably by probing and trenching, and had been taken up in new masonry for presentation in earlier conservation works. Midway along both the northern and southern foundations the bases for cloister buttresses came to light; however, no corresponding bases showed along the western and eastern sections. When the cobbles and underlying fill were removed from a portion of the ambulatory, a hard made—up surface was exposed which consisted in places of a pebble cobbling and elsewhere of a mortar floor. Among the excavated material from the cloister area were some fragments of the cloister arcade- mainly shafts and capitals of limestone.