County: Dublin Site name: OLDTOWN/MOORETOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 06E0578
Author: Teresa Bolger for Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: Graveyard and Enclosure
Period/Dating: Medieval (AD 400-AD 1600)
ITM: E 716647m, N 748778m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.476099, -6.242776
An assessment was undertaken in the townlands of Oldtown and Mooretown, c. 1.5km north-west of the town of Swords, Co. Dublin. The lands extend over a c. 90ha area bisected by the Rathbeale Road, which is aligned along the townland boundary between Oldtown and Mooretown.
A holy well (DU011–018) is located in the south-east corner of the study area. Known as St Cronan’s Well, it is no longer visible aboveground and its exact location is unknown. Part of the constraint area of a second monument, an abbey church (DU011–019), is located within the study area, close to the north-east of the holy well site.
In 2003 skeletal material was exposed during the construction of a roadway in Oldtown, parallel to the Rathbeale Road. Subsequent testing by Christine Baker and geophysical survey revealed the presence of a large early medieval ecclesiastical complex which included sixteen burials (Excavations 2003, No. 654, 03E1080). This archaeological monument was left in situ after consultation with the relevant authorities; it has been recommended for inclusion in the RMP and currently has protected status.
Geophysical survey has been carried out across the development area; additional potential features associated with the main ecclesiastical enclosure in Oldtown have been identified on the south side of the Rathbeale Road in Mooretown, as well a number of other potential archaeological sites and complexes. A test excavation was carried out in June 2006. Nineteen test-trenches were excavated at the site, nine located within Oldtown and ten in the western section of the Mooretown lands.
The findings of this investigation do not indicate the presence of any further large-scale archaeological sites within the Oldtown lands (in addition to the main ecclesiastical enclosure). The main focus of activity associated with the ecclesiastical enclosure appears to be contained in the area to the south of the new access road (which accords with the geophysical survey).
The testing programme was limited to the western section of the Mooretown lands only. The previous geophysical survey indicated a high probability for the survival of additional features associated with the Oldtown ecclesiastical enclosure directly south of the Rathbeale Road, with further concentrations of anomalies in the vicinity of Glasmore Abbey and the holy well. Unfortunately, these lands were not available for testing at this juncture. There were no indications of any substantial archaeological sites within the western Mooretown lands, although small isolated archaeological features or deposits could survive. A linear feature in Trench 16 appears to be an agricultural furrow. Though both medieval pottery and struck flint were retrieved from this feature, they may not be highly significant. It is unlikely that the furrow is medieval in date; some prehistoric activity has been recorded in the area and the lands would have been included within the medieval manor of Swords. However, the general absence of any archaeological finds or objects in any of the other trenches investigated should be noted. The presence of the finds could reflect the general agricultural exploitation of the lands over a prolonged period of time; however, they could also potentially reflect the presence of a small archaeological site in this vicinity.
No investigations were undertaken in the eastern Mooretown lands at this time; the nature and extent of the potential archaeological features and sites indicated by the geophysical survey in this area remains to be assessed.
27 Merrion Square, Dublin 2
