2000:0710 - TERMONFECKIN, Louth

Test-excavation using a mechanical digger fitted with a ditching bucket was carried out in advance of the development of two houses at adjacent sites. The Bally River, which flows roughly east–west through the village, separates the two sites, Site 1 being south-east of Site 2.

Site 1 is over 1 acre in size. It slopes gently to the stream, and the ground to the rear of the site (south side) slopes upwards quite abruptly. Site 2 is also over 1 acre in size. It is on the north bank of the stream, between it and Seapoint Road. It is overlooked by Seapoint Castle (SMR 22:04101), which lies immediately to the north-west.

The sites are within the village of Termonfeckin, which contains a number of medieval or earlier remains. Possibly the earliest is St Feichin’s parish church (SMR 22:04101), believed to be a foundation of St Feichin of Fore sometime in the 7th century. None of the medieval fabric survives, nor does any trace of the monastic enclosure in the modern street or field pattern. The churchyard contains a high cross (SMR 22:04103), a cross base (SMR 22:04105), an early graveslab (SMR 22:04106), a slab with a Crucifixion scene, possibly of 17th-century date (SMR 22:04104), and a memorial stone (SMR 22:04107). One surviving tower-house is overlooking the site (SMR 22:04110), and this is thought to be 15th-century in date. The site of the summer palace of the archbishop of Armagh (SMR 22:04114) is to the west of the bridge, but no trace remains (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 324). There are three holy wells recorded, one of which, Trinity Well (SMR 22:04115), is across the river to the south-west of Site 2.

Three test-trenches were opened across Site 1. The profile of the trenches was topsoil/humus over a yellow-brown layer consisting of a sandy, gravelly matrix with a high silt content. Scattered flecks of charcoal, a piece of a fish vertebra and a piece of black-glazed crock occurred in the soil profile. No finds of any significance occurred. The only pottery recovered was a piece of black-glazed crock, which could be late 19th-century in date.

Six trenches were opened on Site 2. The excavation of Trench 1 showed that the north-western part of the site had recently deposited dumps of backfill, bricks etc. A spread of burnt stones was exposed for a distance of c. 5m and at a depth of 0.4m below the present ground level, 2m from the north-western end of the trench. This spread extended beyond the limits of the trench to either side. The stones, which appeared to be burnt sandstone, were heat-shattered and generally 0.07–0.1m long, though many smaller fragments appeared to be present. The matrix that contained the stones was heavily charcoal-stained. It was overlain by a brown/grey silty layer. It was 0.3m thick at its south-western end, though it is probably significantly thicker at its centre. There was not a significant amount of modern overburden in the area of this feature. At a point 20m along the trench, the soil profile consisted of an upper layer of 0.25m of the backfill material over an old sod line. Beneath was a layer of mixed yellow-brown and grey, silty clay, up to 0.35m deep. Below this was a layer of pale grey/green, silty clay. At a point 35m from the beginning of Trench 1 the upper 0.5m was a modern dump that appeared to consist of a stony layer followed by yellow-brown clay, overlying a layer of mottled, organic material that looked very modern. Below this was a layer 0.15–0.2m deep of yellow-brown silt, which gradually turned grey. There was a lens of darker grey silt within this. Two pieces of medieval pottery came from within the grey silt layer.

In conclusion, nothing of archaeological significance was recovered from Site 1. In Site 2 the only significant occurrence was the presence of a spread of burnt stone from the north-western end of Trench 1. This may be a fulacht fiadh, though without further investigation it is not possible to say whether it contained a trough. The presence of a layer of peat in the beginning of Trench 2, which was 10m south of this part of Trench 1, appears to confirm that this end of the site had been much wetter than the remainder, though water was seeping in through the gravels at the south-east end. The occurrence of two sherds of medieval pottery, also from Trench 1, was not surprising in view of the proximity of the site to Seapoint Castle. However, nothing to indicate the presence of any structures of medieval date was uncovered.

It was advised that any subsequent development should avoid the area of Site 1 noted above, including the area of peat to the south. Should this prove impossible it was recommended that full excavation of the feature and further testing of the area take place.

Reference
Gwynn, A. and Hadcock, R.N. 1970Medieval religious houses: Ireland. London.

Campus Innovation Centre, Roebuck, UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4