2005:884 - DUNAMASE: Dunamase Castle, Laois

Three phases of archaeological work were carried out at Dunamase Castle, Co. Laois, between July and September 2005 on behalf of the Office of Public Works. The works consisted of a programme of test-trenches followed by monitoring of the construction of a wheelchair/pedestrian access route within the perimeter of the castle. The access route was also to facilitate the stone conservation project currently taking place at the site. The archaeological works also included the excavation of an earthen baulk abutting the curtain wall to the north of the inner gatehouse.

Testing was undertaken in July–August 2005 and comprised seven test-trenches (A–G) located within the perimeter of Dunamase Castle. The testing was carried out along the line of the proposed access route, running from the inner gatehouse to the entrance of the hall. It had two aims: to assess the impact on any archaeological remains by the proposed pathway and to identify the line of an 18th-century path. It was suggested that the proposed access route should follow the outline of this path in order to minimise the impact of the route.

A wall, probably dating from the 13th-century rebuild phase of the castle, was identified in Trench D. It ran between the hall and the curtain wall in the northern part of the castle and had served as a subdivision of the inner ward. It was anticipated to have held the entrance into the upper ward but, due to later disturbance to the wall, could not be identified. Five of the test-trenches showed evidence for activity which post-dates the abandonment of the castle. Trenches A, B and D revealed surfaces which were interpreted to be the remains of the 18th-century path. Trench E contained a stone surface that, from its proximity to the present ground surface, was interpreted as the surface used during the refurbishment phase carried out by Sir John Parnell. Trench G had a compact soil/mortar surface that also appears to be of post-medieval/modern date. The remaining two trenches (C and F) showed disturbed soil and no features relating to the castle or the 18th-century path.

The excavation of test-trenches concurred with Brian Hodkinson’s results from earlier excavations (Excavations 1993–7), which suggest that the castle was not inhabited in the later medieval period, instead showing evidence of slow decay. Excavation of a test-trench in the vicinity of the 18th-century entrance in the western wall of the hall showed a considerable build-up of material as part of the landscaping carried out during this later phase of works by Sir John Parnell.

The finds were unevenly distributed between the test-trenches and consisted predominantly of metal, mainly iron nails. One fragmented socketed spearhead was found in disturbed soil in the vicinity of the gatehouse. Other finds included sherds of medieval pottery and a possible bone tuning-peg. The majority of the finds, although from accumulation layers, can be concluded to be medieval in date.

The testing resulted in the identification of the 18th-century path. The proposed new path would have very limited impact on the archaeological features encountered and this was to be constructed according to the revised plan.

Monitoring of groundworks took place for the construction of the path.This was carried out in August–September 2005. No archaeological finds or features were encountered.

The excavation of an earthen baulk situated north of the inner gatehouse, which remained from Hodkinson’s excavations of 1993–97,was carried out in August 2005. It was removed in order to facilitate the conservation of the curtain wall that is currently being undertaken. The baulk was resting against the curtain wall where this had incorporated the blocked-up entrance of the earlier gate-tower, located directly west of the curtain wall.

The curtain wall is resting on the inner side of the earlier wall, which is associated with the earlier gate-tower, and which terminated in line with the section of the baulk. The earlier wall consisted of large cut blocks of limestone with a core of smaller stones and had been largely exposed during Hodkinson’s earlier excavation to the north and south of the baulk. The gap in the earlier wall directly south of the baulk constituted the original entrance through the gate-tower, which was blocked up in the rebuild phase. Hodkinson’s excavation showed that the gate-tower was replaced, with the new gatehouse located to its south, and the gate-tower was subsequently converted into a smithy.

Thirteen contexts were identified during the excavation, of which ten consisted of soil deposits resting on and against the two walls. The slumping of the fills was interpreted as gradual build-up of successively deposited dump material that had been thrown out from a window/opening in the then blocked-up old gate-tower/smithy.

The majority of the finds from the excavation were of medieval date and were from sealed contexts. Ceramic finds consisted of two pottery sherds and two possible crucible fragments. Five finds of ferrous metal were found during excavation, including two bar-shaped objects and one nail. One piece of worked rock crystal was found resting on the end-stone at the entrance in the earlier wall.

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