2000:0866 - STAAD ABBEY, Agharrow, Sligo

A ruined medieval church stands in pasture by a low sea cliff. In the eroding cliff face archaeological features are exposed over a span of c. 50m. Coastal erosion at the site has advanced by several metres since early editions of the Ordnance Survey (1837; 1910) and appears to have accelerated in recent years. The church is now c. 6m from the cliff edge.

A previous investigation of the site in 1994, by Finbar McCormick and Brian Bentley of Queen’s University, Belfast, had identified a range of fish, livestock and plant species within a midden that was radiocarbon dated to AD 1447–1632 (QUB-3771) at one standard deviation.

Further fieldwork in April/May 2000 included a basic topographic survey, geophysical surveys by GeoArc Ltd (resistivity and magnetometry), a measured survey of the church, detailed sampling and recording of the cliff face and partial excavation of a souterrain. The aims of this work were to ascertain the extent and character of the site, to make a general record of the exposed features before further erosion occurs, to establish whether the site was of more than one phase or period and to create a platform for further research.

This latest fieldwork confirmed that archaeological features extend over a large area. The estimated extent of the site is roughly 4.5ha. Geophysical surveys indicated concentrations of rubble and possible building remnants around the church. Linear features extending further to the south and west are possibly remains of a post-medieval field system. Features recorded in the cliff-face included copious palaeoenvironmental materials, including fish bones, animal bones, marine mollusc shells, charcoals and other plant remains. Most of this lay within midden deposits. Small, angular stones were also a common inclusion and suggest hot-stone cooking techniques of the sort one might expect in a transient, open-air context. Samples of industrial material were recovered from one major feature—a probable lime-roasting pit for mortar production. An iron blade and worked chert flake were recovered from the souterrain. In addition to these medieval features, a possible prehistoric presence is represented by an earlier horizon of pits, cut into a deep deposit of wind-blown sand.

Despite the name, there is no evidence that Staad was a later medieval abbey, but the present ruined church may perpetuate an early medieval monastic community. This was perhaps a cell of the early monastery on the island of Inishmurray, which lies some four miles off. Certainly the stratigraphic complexity of the site and the presence of a souterrain, in particular, combine to suggest that an ecclesiastical presence at Staad extended back to at least the latter part of the first millennium AD and perhaps earlier. Furthermore, the copious midden spreads give some credence to the tradition that Staad was a stopping place or hostel for clerics, pilgrims and other travellers to Inishmurray.

Further work on samples from the site will include identification of plant, animal and marine species from the middens and other deposits, analysis of samples from the lime-roasting pit and radiocarbon dating of several samples to gauge the chronological span of the site. In the longer term, conservation of the ruined church and consolidation of the eroding cliff face must be high priorities in the management of the site. Failing this, we suggest that total excavation of the site should be undertaken by the state.

Access to the site was generously permitted by the landowner, Mr Thady Moffat. Practical support was supplied by the School of Palaeoecology and Archaeology, Queen’s University, Belfast. The excavation and geophysical survey were licensed by Dúchas The Heritage Service. The project was funded by the Heritage Council under the Archaeology Grant Scheme 2000 and by Dúchas via a research grant from the Royal Irish Academy.

School of Palaeoecology and Archaeology, Queen’s University Belfast, and 5 Bellevue Road, Edinburgh EH7 4DA, Scotland