County: Dublin Site name: DUNDRUM: Notre Dame Des Missions
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DU022-016001–3 Licence number: 06E1153
Author: Kevin Lohan, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: Ecclesiastical enclosure, Church and Graveyard
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 717126m, N 727975m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.289132, -6.243264
This was the second testing programme undertaken on the site, the first being carried out by Theresa Bolger (Excavations 2005, No. 404, 05E0847). Testing was undertaken to establish the extent of the archaeological features on the site, as well as to test geophysical survey results not available at the time of the original testing. Eight new trenches were excavated over the available area.
The results confirm those of the geophysical testing, in that the two large ditches shown by the geophysical survey are present in the location and are of the size represented. These ditches, as represented on the geophysical survey, seem to represent an enclosure with a semicircular annexe.
While the assertion that these ditches form an enclosure must remain a supposition until the entire area can be excavated, it remains the most reasonable hypothesis. This is especially true when taken in conjunction with the proximity of the St Nahi’s Church site. The foundation was established by the patron saint in the 6th century, but little remains of the original ecclesiastical settlement. The findings suggest that the curvature of Upper Churchtown Road correlates with an enclosure associated with the foundation. While no visible remains of an enclosure from this early ecclesiastical site remain, the geophysical survey results from sites such as Milverton and Oldtown show that subsurface remains of these ecclesiastical sites can be extensive.
As well as the ditches, a number of other features were uncovered during testing. If contemporary with the enclosing feature, they would be internal to it. However, the lack of datable evidence means that it is impossible to say as yet whether they are part of the early ecclesiastical complex.
The only other feature to be uncovered was in Trench 2. This linear feature, oriented east–west, was outside the area of the enclosing feature. No datable material was retrieved from the feature and so its date is unknown. Neither is it known whether this feature is contemporary with the enclosure. The fill of the feature, however, is similar to those from the ecclesiastical ditches.
In conclusion, the archaeology uncovered by both test excavations and the geophysical survey shows a probable ecclesiastical enclosure with a semicircular annexe. There are also a number of other features, both internal and external to the enclosure, which are in all probability related to it.
27 Merrion Square, Dublin 2
