2022:657 - Kilnalehin burial ground, Abbey townland, Galway

The manual test excavation of two burial plots in a graveyard adjacent to Kilnalehin Abbey, in County Galway, was carried out in 2-4 and 11 November and 6-8 December 2022. The project concerned consent from the National Monuments Service to allow further burials in a number of plots at Abbey burial ground (RMP No. GA125-058001). Kilnalehin Abbey (RMP No. GA125-058) is a National Monument (No. 554). The testing was requested by the National Monuments Service.
The site is located in the heart of the village of Abbey, County Galway and is the only Carthusian foundation in Ireland, dating to between 1249 and 1256 and abandoned during the early 14th century. The De Burgos enabled the Franciscans to take over the site about fifty years later with the ruined church and adjacent cloister probably dating to the late 15th or early 16th century.
The two plots (Nos 2 and 6) which were the subject of the testing were located in the graveyard to the west of the ruined abbey buildings. Plot 2 was located near the south-western corner of the graveyard. It measured 2.4m east-west by 2.5m and was excavated to 0.3-0.8m depth. Two sondages, A and B, were excavated in the north-west (A) and south-east (B) corners of the plot. Sondage A measured 0.7m x 0.7m x 0.2-0.25m deep. Sondage B measured 1.2m x 0.7m x 0.4-0.6m deep. Plot 6 was located at the north-north-east end of a tarmac path which runs north-north-east through the graveyard from its entrance near the west end of the southern boundary wall. It measured 2.75m long, 2.5m wide and was excavated to 0.8-1.1m depth. Much of the excavated material from both plots was sieved, while the spoil was scanned with a metal detector (Reg. No. R000595).
Below the topsoil on the surface of Plot 2 was grey/brown plastic clay which contained modern artefacts, a possible floor tile and disarticulated human and animal bone fragments. Below the grey/brown clay was dark grey sterile clay and dark brown/black silt loam, above natural subsoil. The friable silt loam contained two modern pottery sherds and disarticulated human and animal bone fragments and was undoubtedly a disturbed layer associated with an adjacent modern burial.
Below the topsoil on the surface of Plot 6 was pea-gravel above a compact layer of rocks, which were both part of the path located adjacent to the southern side of the plot. Below the remains of the path were two disturbed layers which contained modern artefacts and disarticulated human and animal bone fragments, above natural subsoil.
No articulated burials or archaeological features or deposits were found in either plot. Both plots contained modern disturbed layers above natural subsoil.

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