1999:160 - GRANGE ABBEY CHURCH AND HOUSE, Baldoyle, Dublin

In June and July 1999 a section of an M50 link road, 160m long, was monitored by the writer, and two areas were opened up for excavation. The corridor extended to the south of the extant Grange Abbey Church, a large stone church thought stylistically to date to the late 13th/early 14th century. This church and surrounding graveyard (no longer in use) originally formed part of the 'grange' of Baldoyle, a large, self-sufficient farm that belonged to the Priory of All Hallows (where Trinity College is now sited), in Dublin. Thus it was designed to exploit the lands given to the monastery by grateful benefactors in the Baldoyle-Donaghmede area and to provide fresh produce for the house in Dublin. After the Dissolution in the 16th century, a residence belonging to the Fitzsimon family is recorded at Grange, and this may be the residence depicted by Rocque in 1756. A house, known as 'Grange House', stood to the north of the road corridor and is possibly that depicted by Rocque, although Rocque's map shows the dwelling positioned slightly further south (SMR 15:69, south of Grange House). The house, yard and gardens were demolished in 1972, when the entire area became a large housing estate.

The excavation found scant remains of the medieval grange, as this area, to the south of the church, appears to have been substantially disturbed in the early 17th century. However, the remains of a stone wall over 1.1m wide were uncovered in section on the eastern side, and this may represent part of an eastern precinct wall. To the east the remains of a small stone 'water-house' were also found, which was dated to the mid- to late 17th century and was probably used to control water into a series of fishponds (marked on the Ordnance Survey map dated 1843). This structure was well built and tapped into a stone drain that extended through the entire site, allowing access to the water at that point. It was subsequently enlarged on the northern side by a red brick extension, sometime in the early to mid-18th century.

At the western end of the site the excavation exposed a series of pits that contained few finds but could be dated to the late 17th century. These appear to represent domestic refuse pits in an area that originally formed part of the pond complex. The most surprising and unexpected discovery, however, was in an area that was a pond until the demolition of Grange Abbey house in 1972. After the demolition the remains of the house were used to infill the pond and to build up the ground level. In one such dump of rubble a hoard of 41 gold sovereigns was found, some in almost mint condition. They ranged in date from 1817 to 1830 (George III and George IV), but the vast majority dated to between 1821 and 1825.

2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin