2006:541 - MONEYDARRAGH MORE, Down

An archaeological evaluation, consisting of limited test-pitting supplemented by geophysical survey, was undertaken within the immediate environs of a development site located 50m to the south-west of the Kilhorne Church of Ireland church, Moneydarragh More, Annalong. Kilhorne was constituted as an independent parish within the old plebania of Kilkeel in 1884, but the 19th-century church is included in the SMR because it is ‘associated’ with a small number of long cist burials, containing extended inhumations, that were discovered in 1932 during the laying of a water pipe along the lane between the church and the main Kilkeel to Newcastle road (Berry and Nolan 1932). These probable Early Christian burials, along with the cill element in the placename Kilhorne, suggest the presence of an early ecclesiastical site within the vicinity of the 19th-century church. No historical references to a medieval or earlier church at Kilhorne are known (pace Ewart 1886, 109).

At the time of the investigations, the development site was a small paddock (dimensions 26m by 27m). An evaluative strategy consisting of resistivity and magnetometry geophysical survey across two of the adjacent fields, coupled with the excavation of three test-pits within the development site, was adopted. Both of the geophysical surveys produced anomalies indicating the presence of a circular enclosure, with an internal diameter of c. 50m, within the fields immediately to the north of the development site. The resistivity survey produced a further anomaly which indicates the possible presence of a concentric, outlying enclosing ditch whose circuit, if projected, would enclose an area with an internal diameter of c. 80m and cross the northern part of the development site. The geophysical surveys failed to definitely identify any internal structures or features within the enclosed area. Both of the enclosing anomalies extend across the lane along which the long cist burials were discovered and it is not unreasonable to suggest that this single, or possible double, enclosure provides the context for the location of the burials uncovered in 1932.

The three test-pits located within the development site were all 2m by 1m in size, with their longest axes aligned north-east/south-west. Test-pit 3 was subsequently extended to produce a 1m-wide, L-shaped trench whose longest axes were aligned north-east/south-west and north-west/south-east. All three test-pits were located outside of the area delimited by the possible outlying, concentric enclosing ditch. The site had been partially cleared of overlying debris with a mechanical excavator prior to the excavation, resulting in the truncation of the sod and topsoil in all three test-pits.

In Test-pit 1 the truncated topsoil overlay a thin cultivation soil containing 20th-century finds, which in turn overlay two heavily truncated, approximately east–west aligned, features that were cut into the boulder clay subsoil. In Test-pit 2 the topsoil also overlay a thin cultivation soil, but no features were uncovered cut into the subsoil. In Test-pit 3 the truncated topsoil sealed a dumped deposit of building rubble and hardcore, which overlay a near horizontal discontinuity that represented the stripping of soil from this part of the paddock during the relatively recent past. A relict trace of the removed soil survived as a thin, localised deposit of compact, dark-brown sandy clay loam. Underlying this relict trace of soil, and cut into the boulder clay, was an east–west-aligned feature with steep sides and a flat base (c. 0.25m deep, at least 2.2m in length and c. 1.35m wide). It was filled with a light- to mid-brown sandy loam, which contained no artefacts.

It is suggested that the circular anomalies identified in the geophysical surveys probably represent some form of small early ecclesiastical enclosure. The practice of enclosing ecclesiastical sites with a valla dates from the 7th century ad onwards, and it is from this period that burial in cemeteries attached to monastic and other ecclesiastical sites began. Most early ecclesiastical enclosures are not as circular as the enclosure defined by the geophysical surveys. This raises the possibility that the enclosure may originally have been a rath whose use was given over to the Church. Such practices are not unknown, although, if the enclosure originally was a rath, then it would be a large example of the type. It should not be assumed that the outer, concentric enclosure, if it is a genuine feature, is contemporary with the inner enclosure. It is possible that it represents a later boundary created during an episode of enlargement of the site.

In the absence of any artefactual evidence, interpretation of the excavated features in Test-pits 1 and 3 is difficult. Although it is reasonable to suggest that burial activity associated with the cemetery could have extended beyond the apparently defining enclosure boundaries, and that the features partially exposed in the test-pits could all have been the truncated remains of conjoined or isolated simple dug graves, it must be emphasised that this is not the only possible interpretation of their original purpose. Without more extensive excavation it is not possible to interpret the features with certainty. As well as burials, it is possible that the features relate to some other form of activity on the periphery of the apparent early ecclesiastical enclosure, or, whilst being archaeologically significant, that they might represent an unrelated phase of activity at the site.

References
Berry, R.G. and Nolan, M.J. 1932 Report on the ancient graveyard at Annalong, Co. Down. JRSAI, 62, 219–23.
Ewart, L.M. 1886 Handbook of the united diocese of Down & Connor & Dromore. Belfast.

School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology, Queen’s University, Belfast, BT7 1NN