2002:1324 - DROMISKIN, Louth

Monitoring along the route of a gas pipeline at Dromiskin, Co. Louth, was carried out in June 2002 (see No. 1323, Excavations 2002, 02E0764). During the excavation of Trench 10 human remains were noted in the northern section face. Work stopped while a suitable mitigation strategy was decided. It was agreed that the remainder of the pipeline would be inserted using an open cut trench and that the small area where human remains had been identified would be excavated. This took place in June 2002.

The name Dromiskin comes from the old Irish Druim Inasclainn (‘the ridge of the torrent’). A wide range of archaeological remains has been recorded in the village, the most significant being those associated with the early medieval church. These comprise a round tower, church and high cross set in a graveyard on the eastern side of the village, to the north of the main east–west route through the town. The present street pattern of the village appears partially to preserve the line of the original, early medieval enclosure. This includes a section of the main east–west route, along which the new pipeline was inserted. However, this is deceptive. The original main road ran east through the present churchyard between the 19th-century church and the round tower. The present curvilinear road appears to date to the 18th century, when it was constructed as an accessway to Dromiskin House (Raftery and Tempest 1942; Leslie 1908). Both roads are illustrated on the first-edition OS map, dating to 1835. In the mid- to late 19th century the curvilinear road was adjusted and linked to the original straight road to the east of the graveyard, effectively bypassing the old road through the graveyard and creating the present street pattern (Raftery and Tempest 1942). Therefore, despite appearances, it is unlikely that the present curvilinear street pattern to the east of the crossroads at Dromiskin bears any relationship to an early medieval enclosure.

To the south of the present churchyard a pair of long stone cists was discovered in the 19th century (SMR 12:47). Both contained extended inhumations, oriented east–west, one with the skull to the east, and the other with the skull to the west. The burial with the skull to the east contained a sandstone box enclosing a leather-covered wooden box. Inside the second box was a bronze ring-headed pin and charcoal. The location of these burials is not precisely known; however, the best estimate to date (Raftery and Tempest 1942) places them with 30m of the burials identified in the present investigation, on the south side of the road.

Investigations at a development site south of the main road through the village and south of the perceived line of the early medieval enclosure were carried out by Donald Murphy and Malachy Conway in 1999 (Excavations 1999, No. 590, 99E0330). A series of burials of possible early medieval date was found in the north-west corner of the site, which may represent part of a larger cemetery extending to the west and north, under the road. These burials appeared to be confined to an area of high ground in this part of the site, with a possible shallow, delimiting ditch to the south.

An area measuring 2.1m by 1.2m and centred on Trench 10 was excavated. Trench 10 was east of the crossroads at Dromiskin, c. midway along the curve of the road around the graveyard at the site of the early medieval church. The road rises on the approach from the crossroads to this area and falls away to the east as it continues around the remainder of the graveyard.

The tarmac structure of the road sealed a layer of disturbed stony material. This appeared to relate partially to the construction of the modern road and partially to the insertion of modern water and sewerage services.

Sealed beneath this, the remains of a single individual (Burial 1) were identified in the north-east quadrant of the excavation area. The burial appeared to have been oriented east–west, with the head to the west. There was nothing to indicate the presence of a shroud or coffin associated with the burial. A large number of stones were noted in and around the head of the burial; however, their random distribution appeared to reflect the nature of the backfill material rather than any deliberate structure or deposition (e.g. a head-case or ‘ear-muff’ stones). The burial appeared to have been cut into natural geological strata. The condition of the skeletal remains appeared to be quite poor, possibly as a result of modern disturbance and/or the pressure of passing traffic from the road above.

It was clear that the burial had been disturbed and truncated on the south during the insertion of the water main. The right arm and most of the right thorax were not present. As the remains were exposed, it became clear that they had also been quite heavily truncated in antiquity. A further burial (Burial 2) was identified to the east of the Burial 1. The grave-cut for this burial truncated Burial 1 at around the mid-thorax. The left arm and thorax of Burial 1 appeared to have been truncated on the north, and examination of the northern section face of the excavation area suggested the presence of a further burial (Burial 3), which may be responsible for this truncation.

As the development did not impinge on either Burial 2 or Burial 3, they were not investigated and were left in situ. The area around both burials was backfilled by hand, before the backfilling of the excav-ation area and the reinstatement of the road surface.

A small area of burning was encountered in the north-west quadrant of the excavation area. It appeared to have been heavily truncated on the south and east during the insertion of the water main. It comprised a shallow pit, possibly originally subcircular to oval. The fills were characterised by layers of burnt clay, charcoal and ash, suggesting that the pit may be the remains of a small hearth or furnace. The primary fill was a layer of oxidised clay, indicative of in situ burning. No finds were recovered from any of the fills that might indicate a date for the feature.

The pit was cut into natural geological strata on the west, and the base of the feature was characterised by an area of stones, which also partially sealed the skull of Burial 1. Although stones occurred frequently in the natural geology, after the removal of the fills of the pit it appeared more likely that this deposition of stones had an anthropogenic cause. It may relate to further burials or to other archaeological features to the north. However, this question lay outside of the scope of the present investigation.

Owing to the degree of truncation and disturbance caused by the insertion of the water main, the precise stratigraphic relationship between the burial and the burnt feature could not be ascertained. However, it seemed likely that the burial pre-dated the burnt feature.

References
Leslie, J.B. 1908 History of Kilsaran. Dundalk.
Raftery, J. and Tempest, H.G. 1942 A burial at Dromiskin, Co. Louth. County Louth Archaeological and Historical Journal 10, 133–7.

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