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

Galway
isolated trench immediately inside the north wall of the central enclosure. Although one of
these burials lay underneath this section of the central enclosure, the burial post-dated the
construction of this wall, as the soil had been scooped out from underneath the foundations
to allow internment. Those other burials immediately next to the church were extensively
disturbed by intruded infant and foetal burials.
Further evidence for activity preceding the early medieval stone church was indicated by an
occupation deposit in the northwest area of the nave. It contained scattered charcoal and
bone fragments and oyster shell and was partly sealed beneath the packing stones of the
unmortated foundations of the wall of the nave. A small pit was uncovered between the
packing stones in the nave foundation underneath this occupation deposit. It measured
0.35m x 0.26m at the top and 0.2m x 0.19m at the base and contained fragments of bone
and occasional small pieces of charcoal. An irregular-shaped fire site associated with
numerous fragments of meat bones was also uncovered in the western side of the nave, but
it was unclear if it antedated the construction of the nave.
Phase two comprised the construction of the nave of the stone church, probably in the
eleventh or early twelfth century. It measured 10.5m x 6.3m externally and 9.2m x 4.25m
internally and contained antae and a western trabeate doorway. The mortar-built walls of the
nave were built of limestone masonry with a rubble core, resting on a stone plinth supported
by underlying unmortared packing stone foundations. A rotary quern fragment was
discovered resting on the packing stones close to the northwest corner in the nave. A small
triangular-headed window survived on the south wall of the nave, c. 2m from its eastern end.
A third and final phase of the church comprised the addition of the stone chancel, 5.6m in
external length with internal dimensions of about 4.6m x 4.25m. Its walls were of similar
construction to those of the nave, but were of inferior workmanship and was added, not by
piercing the east wall of the nave with an arch, but by removing it completely and continuing
the line of the inner faces of the north and south walls of the nave to the east.
A small number of burials to the north were aligned on the same long axis as the church and
evidently post-date it. Two supine, extended burials in the southeast quarter of the nave and
two children outside the north wall were orientated on the same alignment as the nave.
Concentrations of charred cereal grains and fragments of human and animal bone were
found close to the burials inside the nave. A gap in the cemetery enclosure wall on its
western side was found to be in line with the west door of the nave and was probably
constructed after the church was built.
A large collection of finds from inside the church and the surrounding cemetery indicate early
medieval activity from at least the ninth century. The excavations inside the church
uncovered evidence for a ninth-thirteenth century bone comb, a bone handle of possible
medieval date, fragments of iron nails and other objects as well as pieces of slag. Fragments
of animal and human bone, concentrations of charred cereal grain, charcoal and oyster,
mussel, limpet and periwinkle shells were also frequently encountered. The finds from the
cemetery and its surrounding enclosure recovered similar archaeo-botanical and zoological
evidence as well as a small tanged tenth-fourteenth century knife, a fragment of a singleedged
ninth-thirteenth century bone comb, hone-stones, hammer-stones and a possible
barrel-padlock key of medieval date.
The early medieval ecclesiastical site was defined by an enclosure wall. It was 1.5-2.5m wide
and ranged in extant height from 0.3m to 1m with a modern field wall built on top of the
original ecclesiastical enclosure. The enclosing wall of the ecclesiastical site was partly
excavated along its southeastern perimeter. It was reasonably well preserved and was
constructed with rubble masonry with their flat sides facing outwards. A low bank, 0.52m in
maximum height, was identified beneath the enclosure wall and formed the core of this
structure. The wall survived to one or two courses high and measured between 1.46m-1.95m
wide. Two pieces of iron slag came from the fill of the enclosure wall. Large blocks formed
the northern side of the southeastern enclosure entrance which was 1.9m wide. A narrow V-
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