County: Roscommon Site name: Boyle Abbey, Boyle
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: CO25; E2399
Author: Annette Quinn, Tobar Archaeological Services, Saleen, Midleton, Cork.
Site type: Cistercian abbey
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 580516m, N 802738m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.973559, -8.296974
As part of the ongoing conservation works at Boyle Abbey, Boyle, Co. Roscommon, Phases II and III of the archaeological excavations at the site were carried out over five months from June to October 2008. The Phase II excavation was located at the east end of the church and extended from outside the north wall of the latter to inside the north aisle. Phase III excavations were located in the area to the west of Phase II and east of Phase I and also incorporated the north wall of the church and the north aisle.
The foundations of the north wall (F211) of the church were uncovered in an almost continuous line within the Phase II and Phase III excavation areas (Excavations 2006, No. 1710; Excavations 2007, No. 1479). The wall had been largely robbed-out at some time during the military occupation of the abbey, although it survived to several courses in height in places (maximum height 0.74m). The wall was also cut by a later drain, F407.
A large number of articulated human burials were uncovered on the site, both to the north and south of the north wall foundation (F211). The burials were orientated east–west and were largely contained within simple unlined grave-cuts. In some cases, however, a formal grave-cut was not discernible, particularly on the north side of the wall F211 where significant disturbance of burials by a later ditch cut (F222) had occurred. More defined, deeper grave-cuts were encountered within the church, particularly in the north aisle, where an in situ inscribed medieval graveslab was also uncovered. Evidence for a compact mortar floor (F293) was uncovered within the church in the Phase III excavation and was cut by a number of burials.
Finds relating to the use of the church in the medieval period were relatively few and mainly comprised knife fragments, an incomplete scale balance and keys. A number of coins were also recovered from some grave-cuts.
Later activity on the site was represented by a ditch (F222) which was located outside the north wall of the church. The ditch appeared to pre-date a cobbled surface which is likely to be associated with the military occupation of the site in the 18th–19th centuries.
