2019:298 - Naul, rear of graveyard, Dublin

The Naul Community Dig 2019 was carried out to the rear of Naul graveyard, Naul, Co. Dublin. Excavation took place over six days between 17-23 August 2019, as part of Heritage Week 2019. The site is located directly north of Naul graveyard (DU0042-004005) and just over 40m south of the Black Castle (DU004-045009). Approximately 125m to the east is a chalybeate spring known as Lady Well holy well (DU004-045003). The site is situated south of the ravine and River Delvin which form the county boundary between Dublin and Meath.
Two trenches were opened as part of the excavation. Trench 1 (10m x 2m) was aligned to ascertain the north-south stratigraphy of the site and reflected the topography sloping down to the north. Trench 1 was excavated to natural subsoil, a maximum depth of 0.6m. Trench 2 was located c.10m north of Trench 1 and was aligned east-west. Trench 2 measured 10m east-west x 2m and was excavated to natural subsoil, a maximum depth of 0.8m. The overall stratigraphy consisted of grey-yellow stony natural subsoil truncated by furrows, the insertion of drainage and overlain by cultivation soils. A high level of modern disturbance was identified. Despite the historic evidence for a medieval manor and a number of previous investigations within the village, no evidence of medieval settlement had been identified through excavation. Although limited to four sherds of medieval pot and a plough pebble the results from the Naul Community Dig suggest that the area excavated had been tilled for arable farming in medieval times. The site can be considered highly disturbed by nineteenth century-cultivation and dumping of building material and its twentieth-century use as a garden.

Community Archaeologist, Fingal County Council, Main St., Swords, Co. Dublin