County: Tyrone Site name: DORAS
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: J.A. McDowell
Site type: Ecclesiastical enclosure
Period/Dating: Medieval (AD 400-AD 1600)
ITM: E 681331m, N 867687m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.550998, -6.742819
During December 1985-January 1986 further excavations were carried out within the small ecclesiastical enclosure at Doras, Newmills, Co. Tyrone. The excavations were funded by the Historic Monuments and Buildings Branch of the DOE(NI).
Work carried out during 1982-3 produced evidence of Early Christian settlement, e.g. remains of a round house and a ditch. Twigs from the lowest deposits in the ditch were submitted for radiocarbon dating. They produced a date of 1303±90 BP giving a date range of AD 615-885 when calibrated and taken to two standard deviations. The present excavations have produced nothing of demonstrably Early Christian date, although a random spread of postholes and gullies has been uncovered, but with no associated finds.
A second ditch has also been found which may form part of an angular enclosure. Several sherds of medieval 'everted rim' ware came from the lowest deposits in the ditch. Interestingly the area embraced by this ditch apparently does not incorporate the present church or graveyard.
A church in the parish of Tullyniskan is mentioned in the 1306 taxation roll. Although the name 'Doras' is not specifically mentioned the townland is a strong contender for the location of the church, and the evidence for medieval activity found during the excavations at Doras helps strengthen this identification.
5 Malone Avenue, Belfast
