DOW 051:061 - Clonallan Glebe, Down

Archaeological investigations had been on-going at Clonallan Church of Ireland, near Warrenpoint since 31 October 2012. This was to accommodate the replacement of a vestry room and addition of a disabled toilet to the eastern gable of the church. The present church was built in the latter half of the 17th century and renovated in the 1870s; however documentary sources place its origins in the Early Medieval Period. Archaeological surveillance was carried out by NIEA after the demolition of the former vestry room, during which the articulated remains of 2 articulated burials were uncovered. An excavation was requested over the footprint of the development (an area measuring 4m by 8m). The remains of 23 individuals were uncovered of which 15 were partially excavated. Some of the burials were disturbed by subsequent inhumations however evidence suggests that a single phase of burial was represented which continued into the 20th century, although the date of the earliest burial in this area is unknown. Both males and females were uncovered and the styles of the burials are consistent. All of the burials were in a supine position, orientated roughly east/west and the presence of coffin nails associated with most of the grave fills suggest that most were coffin burials. The fills of the graves were backfilled with the surrounding soil but the grave cuts were still sometimes visible. A semi-circular structure positioned centrally against the eastern gable wall was uncovered during the excavation and was positioned over one of the burials. The re-plastering work to the exterior walls also facilitated investigations of the architectural features and fabric of the building. The ground plan of the church and graveyard was EDM surveyed. Any individual architectural features within the church fabric were measured and drawn by sketch plan and individually photographed. The eastern gable elevation was recorded using photogrammetry. The survey noted a number of construction phases, potentially ranging from the medieval period to the 19th century.

Centre for Archaeological Fieldwork, School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology, Queen's University Belfast BT7 INN