2001:309 - GREENCASTLE, Down

Between 8 May and 3 September 2001 an excavation was carried out at a site adjacent to the Greencastle, Co. Down, on behalf of the Environment and Heritage Service: Built Heritage, in advance of a residential development. Initially built in the mid-13th century, further work was carried out during the 15th century. In 1505 it was granted to Gerald Mór, earl of Kildare, and again underwent remodelling. In 1552 the castle was granted to Sir Nicholas Bagenal (whose family occupied it until 1635) and was used as a garrison until 1590. Parliamentary forces finally destroyed the castle in 1652. In the 19th century the western side of the castle was incorporated into a farm and dwelling, which are still occupied. It is now in State Care.

The development site (12m x 24m) lay south of the gate-tower, on a limestone outcrop surrounded by cattle pasture. Before excavation, removal of mature trees by the landowner exposed archaeological deposits along the northern and western site boundaries. Modern overburden was removed by machine and hand excavation then carried out, revealing five phases of site usage: 13th-century activity and a subsequent period of infilling, a 14th-century building, a 17th-century midden, and the deposition of modern farm-related debris.

The maximum depth of surviving stratigraphy at the northern end of the site was 1.5m. In this area the earliest phase was represented by two linear features and at least five post-holes, which appeared to be contemporary. From coin and pottery evidence this phase can be dated to the 13th century. The features are associated with a wooden structure (or structures) and possibly linked to the castle entrance. After a period of use it was infilled, the sloping ground levelled and a 14th-century building erected a short distance away.

At the southern end of the site the remains of a rectangular stone building (c. 6.6m x 6.8m) were discovered in a quarried area within the bedrock (the stone may have been used in construction at the castle). Although there was evidence surviving for three walls, none could be found of a fourth in the west, though it may lie outside the excavated area. The northern and eastern walls (under 1m high) may have been built up to negate the sharp fall of the surrounding terrain. Although not particularly substantial, the masonry remains could be interpreted as the wall footings for a timber-framed building. There was no evidence of sill-beams in any of the walls but post-holes, which may have held roof supports, were found in the interior. The structure was probably a domestic dwelling, but since many finds recovered from it appear to relate to industrial activity it may have functioned as a workshop. A coin and pottery found within date it to the 14th century, and it may have been part of the unlocated medieval village of Greencastle, known to have existed in the vicinity.

After the building went out of use, this area of the site was used as a dump, with layers of midden-like loam, containing shell and bone, being deposited. Pottery and an iron knife (with decorated bone handle) from the 17th century were retrieved from the upper layers. In modern times the northern and western edges of the site were built up with deposits of farm and domestic debris, allowing greater access to farm buildings close by.

Hundreds of sherds of medieval glazed and unglazed pottery, of both local and Continental origins, and dozens of metal artefacts, including arrowheads, coins, pins, knife blades and fish-hooks, were retrieved from the excavation, as were some bone artefacts.

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