County: Mayo Site name: CHURCH ISLAND
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 99:17 Licence number: 93E0109
Author: Frank Ryan
Site type: Ecclesiastical enclosure
Period/Dating: Late Medieval (AD 1100-AD 1599)
ITM: E 511569m, N 727528m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.723610, -9.273333
Church Island, Lough Carra, covers approximately eight acres. Excavation was confined to an area of 13m x 8m which incorporated a medieval church. Five levels were recorded.
Level 1
The earliest level contained features which were not clearly defined and indicated that activity was not confined to the area excavated. Four postholes provided evidence for a large wooden building. Another nine may have represented evidence for substantial structures. In addition, a small rectangular building was defined by a shallow trench and two postholes. A large hearth was located to the north-west of this building.
Level 2
This was defined by a trench dug to enclose an area of 8m x 4m. It was 1m wide and cut through some of the features of Level 1. The trench contained loose stones and boulders. An entrance feature was evident at the north-west end. Several layers of daub were introduced on to the site in order to level the ground.
One pit, four postholes and five stone settings for wooden stakes were discovered at this level.
A plinth was constructed of several courses of rounded stones at the north-west end of the site where the ground level was lower than the bottom of the trench. It was also built on top of the trench at the south-west. The plinth incorporated an internal west corner. This represented all that remained of a stone building at this level.
Level 3
A short intense period of activity followed where it appeared that a portion of the foundations associated with Level 2 was reused. The west corner was infilled with stones and there was some evidence to suggest that a fire occurred in the north-western half of the building. A small furnace was located at the south-west end.
Level 4
Orientation of the building at this level differed by 15 degrees to the building at Level 2. The walls of the extant church were in ruins and only the south-east gable remained almost complete. It contained a carved sandstone window. Other features included an altar base and a central posthole. Evidence of both a north-west entrance and a south-west window were also discovered.
Level 5
Eight very small human skeletons were found at this level. These probably indicated recent use of the site.
Burials: A total of 22 skeletons were recorded.
Finds: A wide range of iron objects, including a large quantity of nails were discovered. A variety of animal, bird and fish bones was also found.
Dating: No diagnostic artefacts were associated with Levels 1 and 3. A small piece of dressed green porphyry and a bronze stick pin were found at Level 2. Dating of Level 4 will rely on the evidence provided by three decorated bone mounts and bone comb fragments. All of these objects have yet to be examined. The fabric of the building is suggestive of the late 13th or 14th century.
41 Parnell Rd., Harold's Cross, Dublin 12
