County: Dublin Site name: Mooretown Ellipse Site 1
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 23E0720
Author: Catriona Baldwin
Site type: Ditched enclosure
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 709400m, N 742420m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.420539, -6.354106
The site comprised part of a large circular or sub-circular enclosure which coincided to the east with a large linear ditch that extended south-west/north-east for the majority of the site. This ditch was truncated to the east by a large north-west/south-east running curvilinear ditch. A number of additional features were also investigated, these included: a large watering hole, a well, and several small pits, post-holes and gullies. These features were first identified through geophysical survey and were confirmed by archaeological testing in May 2022.
Only part of the enclosure ditch was contained within the excavation boundary, the southern extent was truncated by the modern concrete road. It appeared to be circular or sub-circular in plan and had an internal diameter of 28m (east–west). For the most part the enclosure ditch contained four main phases of activity, with some additional slump deposits of material occurring in the eastern extent of the enclosure. For the most part, the fills were largely sterile, with very occasional charcoal, charred seeds and animal bone inclusions. Environmental remains retrieved from the basal fill suggest cereal processing was carried out at or in the vicinity of the site.
A number of intersecting linear ditches occupied the interior of the enclosure and may have functioned as internal divisions or boundaries. In addition to this, a large sub-circular or teardrop-shaped well occupied the western extent of the enclosure’s interior.
Based on the artefactual evidence, it is posited that the site dates to the early medieval period. It is expected that analysis of the environmental remains and radiocarbon dating along with specialist analysis of the finds recovered will assist in dating and phasing the site.
Lynwood House, Ballinteer Road, Dublin 16
