County: Offaly Site name: BALLYBURLEY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 4:13 Licence number: 97E0321
Author: Clare Mullins
Site type: Graveyard
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 655108m, N 735207m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.364190, -7.172033
Test-trenching was carried out on 16 October 1997 at a site adjacent to the late medieval Ballyburley church and cemetery, Rhode, Co. Offaly. Testing was in compliance with a request for further information in respect of a planning application. Five test-trenches were inserted to test the stratigraphy in the vicinity of the proposed house and associated works. A large ditch feature was found which appeared to run in a south-east to north-west direction through the south-west side of the development site. A disturbed human burial was found directly south-west of this ditch. While the line of the ditch could not be projected from the location of the test-trenches, the proximity of the ditch to the medieval church site and the occurrence of the burial on the cemetery side of the ditch would plausibly suggest its association with the church and cemetery, and it is possible that it originally enclosed a much earlier ecclesiastical site. The ditch measured 3.4–3.8m across at the top and was 1.8m deep. Some relocation of the development was recommended in order to avoid interference with any of the archaeological deposits. Monitoring of groundworks associated with the development will be undertaken in early 1998.
39 Kerdiff Park, Monread, Naas, Co. Kildare
