1992:034 - DOWNPATRICK, Cathedral Hill, Down

When the verger's house was demolished on top of the historic hill summit, 65m west of the cathedral, an opportunity arose for a brief rescue excavation to rake place prior to the rebuilding of the house. This excavation was carried out by the writer on behalf of the DOE Environmental Service, Historic Monuments and Buildings Branch, from late November 1992–late January 1993. It was hoped to uncover evidence of pre-Norman ecclesiastical remains. None was found.

Two trenches were manually excavated to subsoil. This was 1.75m-2m below modern ground level. The main trench, 9m (north-south) x 3m (east-west) straddled the eastern end of the house foundations. A second, smaller, trench 2.5m (north-south) x 1m (east-west) was excavated 20m west of the main trench, on the spot where a new garage is to be erected.

In the main trench, the earliest stratigraphy encountered was of Early Christian date. This took the form of irregular rows of post-holes and stake-holes, along with several pits and gullies which had been cut (and in some cases recut) into the subsoil. The function of these features is, as yet, uncertain. Sherds of souterrain ware were found in several of the postholes. Later features included a metalled horizon of redeposited subsoil and gravel which covered much of the trench and may have served as a yard surface. The latest stratigraphy was of 13th-/14th-century date and included a gully, possibly for drainage, and organic layers. Most striking of all was a thick deposit of oxidized clay which may represent the rake-out debris from an industrial area lying outside the trench. The continuous rebuilding which had taken place on the site meant that no undisturbed archaeology survived beyond 14th-century levels.

There were numerous finds from the main trench. Large amounts of souterrain, everted rim and medieval Downpatrick wares were retrieved. Small finds included an Early Christian glass bead and a Hiberno-Norse coin of c. AD 1000; decorated bone, slate and metalwork as well as an iron knife blade and several honestones of 11th/12th-century date. A number of decorated bronze stick pins from the 11th-13th century were also discovered. The latest datable find was a French token of the 14th century.

In the smaller trench, modern disturbance had removed virtually all stratigraphy above subsoil. Three small stake-holes cut into subsoil were the only archaeological features evident. Out of the one layer that did survive was recovered animal bone, as well as sherds of souterrain ware, medieval Downpatrick pottery and one sherd of Ham Green 'B' ware, dating from the late 12th-13th century.

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