County: Cork Site name: Kilnaruane
Sites and Monuments Record No.: CO118–031 Licence number: C280
Author: Ann Lynch, National Monuments Service, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, The Custom House, Dublin 1.
Site type: Early medieval ecclesiastical site
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 498331m, N 547586m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.671495, -9.469929
The early medieval ecclesiastical site at Kilnaruane, c. 1.5km south-east of Bantry town, comprises a roughly rectangular enclosure (c. 20m x 24m) sited on the brow of a hill and centrally placed within a circular enclosure (c. 70m in diameter), faint traces of which can still be recognised on the ground. A richly carved pillar stone, probably the shaft of a high cross dating to the 8th or 9th century, is located within the inner enclosure, together with the corner posts of a shrine. Nearby are two bullaun stones.
The inner rectangular enclosure is a national monument in state guardianship and, in conjunction with a programme of monitoring and consolidation of the pillar stone, it was decided by the Office of Public Works to erect new fencing and information boards to improve presentation of the site and further protect it from poaching by cattle. The line of the new fencing, corresponding with the boundary of the area in guardianship, lies just outside the rectangular enclosure and encloses a square measuring 30.5m x 30.5m.
In July 2009, eight test-pits were excavated (0.5m x 0.5m x 0.45m deep) on the line of the new fencing. These revealed a remarkably homogenous stratigraphy: a brown friable topsoil which averaged 0.3m in depth overlying a yellow/brown subsoil with evidence of leaching in its upper levels. No features or artefacts of archaeological significance were noted.
In May 2010 the post-pits were excavated using a 9-inch augur. This technique was particularly successful, given the friable nature of the topsoil, and it also ensured the minimum amount of ground disturbance. The soil conditions replicated those revealed in the test-pits. The only feature of archaeological significance encountered was a layer of closely set cobblestones just below the sod layer, close to the north-east corner of the enclosure. This must represent a cobbled track (c. 2m wide) which led to the inner enclosure, probably in relatively modern times when, according to local tradition, the site was used as a burial-ground for unbaptised children and victims of the Great Famine in the 1840s.
It may be concluded from this very limited investigation that the area immediately outside the rectangular enclosure is devoid of archaeological remains. There is no evidence of burial, domestic habitation or industrial activity in this area.
