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Armagh
Kilmore, Co. Armagh
Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Enclosure.
Grid Ref: H94325116
SMR No: 9:18
Excavation Licence: AE/02/19
Excavation Duration/Year: 4 th -17 th March 2002
Site Director: Norman Crothers (ADS)
Kilmore (Cill Mhór) is the site of a small village, 2.5m miles north of Richhill and within the
Armagh city and District Council area. An early monastery is said to have been founded at
Kilmore in the fifth century by St. Mochto. A round tower is enclosed within the square tower
of the current church at Kilmore dedicated to St. Aidan and represents the only surviving
vestige of the early monastery. An excavation in advance of an extension to the rear or north
side of the church hall at Kilmore uncovered several major features including portions of at
least three ditches, a large well, several large pits, post-holes, pits and gullies. The excavated
area measured 24m north–south by 19m and was bounded on the east by the perimeter wall
of the church and graveyard of St Aidan, on the west by the fence-line of the newer cemetery
and on the north by an area of rough grazing.
The innermost and largest ditch measured 2m wide x 1.5m deep and ran north–south along
the line of the church boundary. It cut a large pit that ran below the perimeter wall and into
the church graveyard. A second north-south aligned ditch was uncovered 10m west of the
inner ditch. It was 1.2m wide and a maximum of 0.9m deep and cut a large circular well. The
outermost ditch was situated 2m west of the middle ditch and was 1.2m wide and a
maximum of 0.8m deep. Unlike the other two ditches, the fill was relatively clean, and it was
probably infilled shortly after it was dug.
A large circular well was uncovered on the northern edge of the excavation, and the site was
extended 5m north to reveal its maximum extent. It measured 4m in diameter, and was
excavated to a depth of 2m. A line of six wooden stakes driven into the lower fills was
uncovered near the southern edge of the well, running east–west, along with some worked
timbers. The upper fills of the well were cut by the middle of the three ditches. The extension
of the excavated area also revealed a fourth ditch, aligned east–west, which was not
excavated as it lay outside the limits of excavation.
Numerous archaeological features including several post-holes of varying sizes and depth
were uncovered in the area between the inner and middle ditches. Three east-west running
gullies were also excavated for 6m before being cut by the middle ditch. The eastern extent
of these gullies is unknown, as they had been badly truncated by a modern pipe-trench.
Other features included a small pit with burnt stones, and a rectangular, straight-edged pit,
possibly originally wood lined, with a stake-hole in each corner.
A considerable quantity of finds were recovered from the site, including over 1000 sherds of
pottery, mostly belonging to early medieval souterrain ware and medieval everted-rim ware.
Among the artefacts were several tanged iron knifes, a small domed bone comb, part of a
polished stone axe, some iron pin fragments and part of a lignite bracelet. Some scraps of
preserved leather were also recovered from the well.
References
Crothers, N. 2002:0034, Kilmore, early Christian church site, Co. Armagh.
www.excavations.ie.
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