2019:843 - St Crispin's Cell, Rathdown Upper, Wicklow

An archaeological excavation was undertaken adjacent to the St Crispin’s Cell church site and graveyard (WI008-012001 and WI008-012002) in 2019. The excavation consisted of one trench positioned over a geophysical anomaly interpreted as a possible feature (Leigh 2016).

The excavation confirmed that the archaeological resource associated with the St Crispin’s Cell site extended to the north of the extant building. The primary archaeological feature consists of a ditched enclosure surrounding the St Crispin’s Cell site, forming a roughly sub-circular feature. This enclosure may be suggested as contemporary with the initial ditch which formed the basis of the later ‘hollow-way’ to the west (WI008-072). The combination of these features may suggest that elements of a relict medieval field system may survive surrounding the church site itself.

The recovery of iron nails from the base of the excavation area ditch would suggest contemporarily with the ‘hollow-way’ feature in-fill, although the recovery of animal bone as part of the works may allow comparative dating of this feature for the first time.

The prepared gravel-rich surface overlying the ditch is again similar with the stratigraphic development of the ‘hollow-way’ feature, but the absence of rutting marks and continual repair may suggest that this was not a heavy utilised routeway. In addition, the inclusion of probable medieval ceramic and animal bone may suggest that the material was originally part of an occupational deposit in the vicinity.

The layer interpreted as a plough soil contained a range of artefactual material, with a substantial amount of flint. Of particular note a possible medieval copper alloy stick pin may represent activity immediately prior to the Anglo-Norman settlement of the area, whilst a coin could be contemporary with the Elizabethan ‘Rathdown hoard’.

c/o IAC Archaeology, Unit G1 Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow