2004:1436 - BOYLE, Roscommon

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Roscommon Site name: BOYLE

Sites and Monuments Record No.: RO006-068005 and RO006-068012 Licence number: 04E0945

Author: Fiona Rooney, Arch. Consultancy Ltd.

Site type: Religious house - Cistercian monks and Kiln - pottery

Period/Dating: Multi-period

ITM: E 580515m, N 802737m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.973545, -8.297003

The excavations at Boyle Abbey were undertaken in advance of proposed conservation works concerned with two areas, the refectory and the area along the north wall of the nave. In the refectory, a lean-to roof was to be constructed by inserting wooden posts down the centre. In the area along the north wall of the nave, engineering test-trenches were required to establish the depth of natural ground prior to the proposed insertion of cores and supports for the outward-leaning north wall. The excavations were carried out over a period of thirteen weeks from July to November 2004.

Excavations in the refectory
In the middle of the refectory a trench measuring 22m in length and 1.5m in width was excavated along the line of the proposed foundations of the lean-to roof. A number of phases were recorded during the course of the testing along with the excavation of a post-medieval kiln base. A layer of gravel extended 13m from the east wall, while the remainder of the refectory was covered in grass. Excavation of the sod and gravel in the eastern half of the refectory revealed a dark-brown stony fill measuring 6.3m in length by 0.8m in depth, which contained inclusions of glass, metal, clay pipe, tile, red brick and modern material. This layer would appear to be associated with excavations carried out by the OPW in 1905. Within this fill was also a dump of more modern material, with crisp wrappers and mineral cans, and this may date to the 1970s. Excavation of these deposits revealed a layer of large boulders, a stone-lined pit and a north-south-running wall. The wall, which was only partly revealed, was constructed of roughly coursed cut limestone blocks and would appear to date to the 13th century. Two deposits of stone at the boundary walls were excavated to a depth of 0.85m and appeared to cut into a number of layers. Throughout the rest of the trench the removal of the sod and gravel came down on to a dark-brown clay layer containing a mixture of modern artefacts, 19th-century pottery and kiln material. It measured 0.2m in depth and contained fragments of post-medieval pottery, glass, tile and brick, with frequent small stones and red clay. This layer overlay a kiln base in the west of the refectory, five stone bases, cobbling and, in the east of the trench, a deposit of red brick, red clay and glass.

In the western part of the refectory the trench was extended to the north and south to facilitate the full excavation of a post-medieval pottery kiln base. Removal of the sod and topsoil in the area of the kiln revealed a layer of sticky red clay with a high concentration of broken tiles, red brick and kiln furniture. Removal of this layer to a depth of 0.15m revealed a semicircular area of burning. The oven was defined by a layer of burning (measuring 2m in diameter and 0.22m in depth) and contained fragments of pottery, kiln furniture, tile and burnt clay. The burnt sand (0.15m in depth) came down on to a layer of grey sand (0.8m in depth) that overlay the cobbling. All that survived of the kiln structure was two openings in the west and south-west. The opening in the west, measuring 0.6m in length and 0.6m in width, was edged with red brick and burnt sand on the base. The opening in the south-west measured 0.7m in length and splayed out from the internal edge (0.3m in width) to the external edge (0.54m in width). Immediately to the west of the kiln was a line of roof tiles set horizontally into the cobbling. This line measured 6.7m in length and the tiles measured 0.3m by 0.2m by 0.04m. Another line of roof tiles was revealed 7.8m to the east of the kiln. The deposit of red brick, red clay and glass in the east of the trench would appear to be contemporary with the kiln. It contained a large quantity of early 18th-century glass bottles and large tiles. Some of the tiles were rounded in shape and had mortar on the sides. They may have been used in the roof of the kiln and dumped here after the kiln was dismantled.

The kiln was built on top of one of the stone bases and the cobbling. The cobbling sloped down from the side walls, forming a drain along the centre of the refectory, and rose up to overlie four of the stone bases. The cobbling stones measured 0.12m by 0.7m and formed an uneven surface. In total five stone bases were revealed below the sod and gravel and the kiln material. These square stone bases were made up of uncut limestone blocks with extensive mortar throughout and occasionally reused tiles. These measured on average 1.1m by 1.2m and 0.4–0.6m in depth and overlay a deposit of large boulders. They may have been used to support a roof over the refectory during one of the later phases of occupation of the abbey, possibly in the 18th century. A central channel measuring 0.16m in depth was cut into four of the bases and the placing of two stones on the north-south-running wall appear to create a drain.

Adjacent to one of the stone bases, a test-pit was excavated measuring 0.8m by 0.8m. Excavation of the large boulders to a depth of 0.24m showed that they overlay a sandy layer. This sandy layer, measuring 0.2m in depth, came down on to a layer of mortar, slates, nails and burnt wood that measured 0.2m in depth. The layer of mortar came down on to two successive layers of burning measuring 0.44m in depth. These layers of burning overlay the cobbling surface of the refectory, which was found at a depth of 1.4m below the present ground level.

Excavations along the north wall
Three trenches (C, D and E) were located along the north wall of the nave. Trenches C and D were excavated on the exterior beside the buttresses supporting the north wall and Trench E was excavated within the nave beside a column. Trench C was orientated north-south and initially measured 5m in length, 0.6m in width and was to be excavated to a depth of 1m. The trench was later extended at the northern end to measure 3m in length and 3m in width and was excavated to a depth of 1.85m. Trench D, which was orientated north-south, initially measured 3m in length, 0.6m in width and was to be excavated to a depth of 1m. The trench was later extended at the northern end to measure 3m in length and 2m in width and was excavated to a depth of 1.75m. Trench E, located in the nave beside a column, was orientated east-west, measured 2m by 2m and was excavated to a depth of 0.85m.

Excavations in Trench C along the line of the buttress, in the area between the cross walls, contained a fill of dark-brown gritty clay with inclusions of modern and 19th-century pottery, glass, animal bone and metal objects. It measured 1.05m in depth and came down on to the plinth of the buttress and a stony grey marl layer. To the north of the buttress, excavations in Trench C of the sod (0.15m in depth) revealed a layer of stone chippings and the topsoil. The stone chippings measured 1.25m in width and 0.05m in depth and may have been laid down during the 1970s when work was carried out on the buttresses. The topsoil contained fragments of clay pipe, animal bone, modern pottery, metal objects and glass. Removal of the topsoil to a depth of 0.32m revealed the stone foundations of the buttresses and a stony fill with light-brown clay. The stony fill consisted of stones ranging in size from 0.32m by 0.22m by 0.15m to 0.1m by 0.08m by 0.05m and loose brown clay. Architectural fragments were found in this layer and retained on site. Other inclusions in this layer were red brick, slate and metal objects and 19th-century pottery and it may be associated with the construction of the buttresses. Excavation of this layer to a depth of 0.45m revealed a blackish-brown clay layer that contained animal bone, metal objects, 19th-century pottery and glass. It measured 0.4m in depth and overlay a number of burials within an orange/brown gritty clay layer.

Five burials were revealed directly below the blackish-brown clay layer. All were aligned east-west and preliminary examination identified them as four adults and one child. Burial III cut into Burial II. Removal of Burial IV revealed the remains of three more burials. All these were recorded and are presently been prepared for the osteoarchaeologist. The burials overlay the natural grey marl. Further excavation was difficult, as water began to fill the trench at this depth (1.85m).

Removal of the sod in Trench D to a depth of 0.2m revealed a layer of stone chippings and the topsoil. The stone chippings measured 1.75m in width and 0.1m in depth and may have been laid down during the 1970s when work was carried out on the buttresses. The topsoil contained fragments of clay pipe, animal bone, modern pottery, metal objects and glass. Removal of the topsoil to a depth of 0.32m revealed the stone foundations of the buttresses and a stony layer with rough cobbling in the centre of the trench. The cobbling measured 2.6m in length and the stones averaged in size 0.1m by 0.12m by 0.8m. It appeared to form a drain, as it sloped down from the buttress. Adjacent to the buttresses a deposit of stones was revealed that appeared to underlie the buttress. In the east of the trench the cobbling overlay a layer of redeposited natural that measured 0.5m in length, 0.12m in depth and extended into the eastern baulk. The cobbling in the rest of the trench came down on to a stony fill with light-brown clay and a layer of mortar, slates and red brick. The mortar was only partially excavated and measured 0.1m in depth and overlay a fill of stones. The stratigraphy was the same as that recorded in Trench C, with a stony layer (0.45m in depth) overlying a blackish-brown clay that measured 0.4m in depth and overlay a number of burials within an orange/brown gritty clay layer. Three burials, aligned east-west, were revealed. Only the skull and shoulder of Burial I was revealed, as it extended into the eastern baulk. Excavation of Burials II and III found that Burial II cut into Burial III. The burials overlay the natural grey marl.

In Trench E, removal of the gravel (0.5m in depth) revealed a light-brown gritty clay layer. Adjacent to the column, a light-brown gritty clay came down on to the plinth and the stone foundations. Fragments of disarticulated human bone were contained in this layer, which measured 0.55m in depth. It overlay a grey/brown gritty clay that contained human remains. This layer was excavated to a depth of 0.2m.

All the finds are being prepared to be sent on to the relevant specialists.

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