County: Dublin Site name: ROSEPARK, Balrothery
Sites and Monuments Record No.: RMP 5:57(08) Licence number: 99E0155
Author: Judith Carroll, Judith Carroll and Co. Ltd.
Site type: Hilltop enclosure, Souterrain and Kiln - corn-drying
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 720143m, N 761086m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.585869, -6.185415
This site, a multi-ditched enclosure complex, was excavated between 24 July 2000 and 18 June 2001 in advance of development. The complex appears to be a high-status defensive habitation site, though it does not fall into any known category. As well as the enclosure ditches described below, other features, including souterrains, corn-drying kilns and an entranceway to the complex, were found. Though the material from the site has not been fully analysed as yet, and while radiocarbon dates are awaited, the multi-ditched complex would appear, from the finds, to have been mainly occupied in the early medieval period.
The excavation was carried out prior to development of a housing estate. Arch-Tech Ltd carried out preliminary investigations, including a desk study and trial-trenching (by Christine Baker) of the site in 1999 (Excavations 1999, Nos 162–3). Excavation was subsequently carried out by this company. Approximately half the site of the enclosure (the southern half) was excavated in advance of development, as this area would have been affected. The northern half of the enclosure site is preserved as a public space area.
The listed site had been identified from the air in 1972 (St Joseph, ref. no. BDS 57) at an oblique angle, on the southern side of a hill. The aerial photo revealed a complex of curvilinear and linear features which seemed to be related. At the highest point of the hill was a roughly circular/spiral feature surrounded by other linear features. The site proved on excavation to be a multi-ditched enclosure with an entranceway, and is thus described for the present. The shape of the enclosure is, as far as is known, without parallel.
Seven souterrains were found on the site between the south-west and south-east quadrants, while other features may have been the remains of souterrains. The souterrains had narrow passages and 1–2 circular chambers each. Where there was evidence of construction, the circular chambers (2.3–3m in diameter) were corbelled and were 1–2m in height. The passages were roofed with flat lintels. In some cases the souterrains coincided with the ditch and it was clear that they cut into ditch fill and were later than the ditches.
The other recurring feature was corn-drying kilns. These were of varying shape and size but were most often ‘keyhole’-shaped. Typically, these were wider at one end, narrowing at the other, often with a related smaller circular burnt feature. They produced evidence of intense burning with a charcoal base and heavily oxidised underlying soil. There was evidence of cereal remains in the burnt debris.
Particularly at the upper part of the hill and among the ditches there were smaller ditches and trenches of varying sizes, and in one case a very large circular pit related to narrow trenches. There were the possible remains of one very roughly half-circular structure on top of the hill, but otherwise there was a significant lack of domestic structures.
From the presence of souterrains and corn-drying kilns, animal bone and domestic debris, as well as E-ware, bronze and bone pins, an iron scythe and pin shanks, glass beads, a spindle-whorl and a bone comb, this was evidently a habitation site of some sort, probably high-status in character. This ‘high-status’ character is suggested by the comparatively large amount of E-ware and the number of souterrains on the site.
13 Anglesea Street, Dublin 2
