1990:053 - CASTLE BARRACKS, Enniskillen, Fermanagh

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Fermanagh Site name: CASTLE BARRACKS, Enniskillen

Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 211:39 Licence number:

Author: Eoin Halpin, Archaeological Development Services Ltd.

Site type: House - fortified house and Barracks

Period/Dating: Multi-period

ITM: E 623046m, N 844203m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.345994, -7.645541

The excavations took place in the car park of the Castle Barracks in a six week period in January and February 1990. The investigations were in advance of the construction of a museum facility and ancillary offices on the site and were funded by Fermanagh District Council. Archaeological efforts were concentrated on a 15m long by 4m wide cutting running east-west across the site, representing approximately a 20% sample of the development area.

Excavation revealed the presence of primary archaeological deposits which probably date to the 'precastle' period, i.e. pre 1400, when the area was used simply as a fording point across the River Erne. Overlying these deposits were further occupation layers associated with two ditch features. The earlier ditch may be the remains of a natural stream which formed a small island in the Erne. It was on this island that the Maguires constructed their castle. They further subdivided this island by digging a moat to encircle the castle, a feature noted on most of the early representations of the site.

In c. 1607, when William Cole took over the site, he started to refurbish it by repairing the castle, constructing the curtain wall with the distinctive Water Gate and constructing a wooden house in the English fashion. It is likely that at this time the defensive ditches surrounding the site were re-cut, both the moat and to the east of the natural steam bed.

Evidence from the excavation shows that the fills of the natural stream bed were overlain with redeposited clay intermixed with stone. These layers acted as a solid platform over the softer fills, thereby reclaiming the land. Beyond the eastern edge of this platform the second ditch was cut. The full extent of this secondary feature could not be ascertained as it extended beyond the eastern edge of the excavation. A number of worked pieces of timber were recovered in association with the later ditch, such as to suggest the presence of a structure although not a house. Subsequently the area was levelled off by the introduction of large quantities of soil. Sufficient time elapsed for a rudimentary soil profile to develop before the area was once again levelled for the construction of a barrack yard, probably in the early 1800s. Finally the area was overlain by large quantities of rubble and gravel in preparation for the present day car park.

Finds from the site consisted mostly of animal bone but quantities of pottery were also recovered. A good sample of leather fragments, mostly off cuts from shoe manufacture, were found in the basal layers of the later ditch, in association with some worked timbers. These leather pieces dated for the most part to the 17th century.

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