1989:023 - DUNDRUM CASTLE, Dundrum, Dublin

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Dublin Site name: DUNDRUM CASTLE, Dundrum

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number:

Author: Elizabeth O'Brien

Site type: Castle - Anglo-Norman masonry castle

Period/Dating: Late Medieval (AD 1100-AD 1599)

ITM: E 717325m, N 727927m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.288657, -6.240300

The excavation at Dundrum Castle is being undertaken in advance of conservation/restoration, and is funded and serviced by Rathmichael Historical Society. The excavation also functions in a training capacity. This third season's excavation, of five weeks' duration, took place in July/August 1989. An article regarding the excavations has appeared in Archaeology Ireland Vol. 3, no. 4 (Winter 1989).

Excavation this season concentrated on the thirteenth-century castle features. It has now been ascertained that the moat was 7m wide, narrowing to approx. 3m in the immediate area of the drawbridge. The depth excavated to date in the area of the drawbridge is 3m. Quantities of thirteenth/fourteenth-century material have been recovered from the fill of the moat and these include glazed Leinster ware, unglazed Leinster cooking ware, Saintonge ware, oyster and cockle shells, butchered animal bone, animal coprolites, a headless but articulated skeleton of a pony, two small iron arrowheads, one heraldic horse pendant and a rowel spur. Part of the outer wall of the original castle has been located extending from the drawbridge along the side of the moat. This wall, which is 2m thick, is extremely well built and contains some very interesting structural features including a shaft 2m deep with what appears to be an arched watercourse at the base. Excavations in the area of the drawbridge have revealed a third counter-balance slot. Evidence has also come to light that there was a portcullis associated with the drawbridge entrance.

A further season's excavation is envisaged in July 1990.

121 Barton Road East, Dundrum, Dublin 14