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AR01055_EMAP_Gazetteer_of_Sites_4-2_10.pdf - The Heritage ...

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Down<br />

Movilla Abbey, Co. Down<br />

Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Enclosure.<br />

Grid Ref: J50367444 (35036/37444)<br />

SMR No: N/A<br />

Excavation Licence: N/A<br />

Excavation Duration/Year: August-September 1980 & Summer 1981<br />

Site Director: M.J. Yates (N.I. Historic Monuments and Buildings Branch); Richard Ivens<br />

(Queen’s University Belfast)<br />

<strong>The</strong> monastery at Movilla (Mag Bile- the plain <strong>of</strong> the tree) is said to have been founded by St. Finnian<br />

who died c. A.D. 579 and was a member <strong>of</strong> the Dál Fiatach dynasty <strong>of</strong> Ulster. <strong>The</strong> abbey together<br />

‘with its oratories’ were burned by the Vikings in A.D. 825 and the site was combined with Bangor<br />

Abbey about the year 910. St. Malachy is said to have introduced the Augustinian rule to Movilla c.<br />

1135 and the Arroasian observance after 1140 (Gwynn & Hadcock 1970, 188). <strong>The</strong> ruined abbey is<br />

located on the southwest side <strong>of</strong> a hill in quite a prominent position overlooking the town <strong>of</strong><br />

Newtownards to the west. It consists <strong>of</strong> a ruined thirteenth century church with some fifteenth<br />

century additions. Nothing <strong>of</strong> the early medieval church survives although an early Christian grave<br />

slab is preserved in the north wall <strong>of</strong> the abbey church. <strong>The</strong> earliest O.S. map shows a curving<br />

semicircular field boundary around the northern perimeter <strong>of</strong> the site which may represent an early<br />

ecclesiastical enclosure.<br />

<strong>The</strong> monastic site was extensively disturbed with much <strong>of</strong> the area to the south and east <strong>of</strong> the<br />

church used as a municipal cemetery and a large portion <strong>of</strong> the semicircular enclosure to the north<br />

and west occupied by housing estates (Fig. 102). A realignment <strong>of</strong> the Movilla road to the immediate<br />

north threatened the last remaining, relatively undisturbed area <strong>of</strong> the abbey and precipitated a trial<br />

excavation <strong>of</strong> the area by M.J. Yates in August and September 1980. <strong>The</strong> results were sufficiently<br />

promising to warrant a further large scale excavation <strong>of</strong> this small portion <strong>of</strong> area which was<br />

undertaken by Richard Ivens in the Summer <strong>of</strong> 1981. In total, five trenches covering a total area <strong>of</strong><br />

500m² were opened over the two seasons. <strong>The</strong> vast majority <strong>of</strong> the features were excavated in the<br />

largest trench, no. 5 (See Fig. 102). <strong>The</strong> excavations uncovered an early medieval industrial zone with<br />

gullies, pits and possible hearth and structures, which was replaced by a large thirteenth century<br />

stone building, later abandoned in the fourteenth century.<br />

An intensive early Christian occupation <strong>of</strong> the site is indicated by the discovery <strong>of</strong> a vast number <strong>of</strong><br />

post-holes, stake-holes, pits and gullies in the earliest levels, together with several thousand sherds<br />

<strong>of</strong> souterrain ware, considerable quantities <strong>of</strong> slag as well as crucibles, scrap copper-alloy and waste<br />

glass. In the early medieval period, the excavated area was an industrial zone, or at least, located<br />

very near to an industrial area. No certain industrial structures were found but these maybe outside<br />

the area <strong>of</strong> excavation. One possible base <strong>of</strong> a small furnace or hearth was excavated. It was undated<br />

but was probably associated with the discovery <strong>of</strong> early medieval souterrain ware, crucibles, scrap<br />

copper-alloy and glass from within a number <strong>of</strong> nearby intercutting gullies and pits. One <strong>of</strong> these pits<br />

– a large, shallow scoop – was interpreted as a working hollow measuring 3.65 x 3.1m x 0.30m deep.<br />

Pottery from the hollow indicates that it was infilled in the late thirteenth or fourteenth centuries. <strong>The</strong><br />

working hollow cut a small pit, 1.39m x 0.76m x 0.07m containing thirteenth century pottery.<br />

Several post- and- stake-holes, gullies, scoops and pits were excavated within the interior <strong>of</strong> the<br />

thirteenth century building; many <strong>of</strong> these were cut by the stone building, clearly pre-dating this<br />

structure and contained few finds except slag, bone and occasional souterrain ware pottery. Early<br />

medieval pits and post-holes were also uncovered in the area to the south and west <strong>of</strong> the thirteenth<br />

century building. A deep oval pit was excavated to the west <strong>of</strong> the thirteenth century stone building.<br />

It was interpreted as a possible well or storage pit and measured 1.72m x 1.53m at the top and<br />

0.95m in maximum depth. It appears to have been deliberately backfilled or abandoned shortly after<br />

its excavation and apart from a few sherds <strong>of</strong> souterrain ware, there was no indications <strong>of</strong> its date.<br />

A long curving gully, over 10m in length, 0.60-1.5m wide and 0.01-0.15m deep, was cut by the small<br />

pit and the foundation trench <strong>of</strong> the thirteenth century large stone building. From this gully were<br />

206

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