Embanked enclosure — Duncormick

The manors of Rosegarland and Duncormick were jointly held by Maurice de London by the service of three and a quarter knights in 1247, and by three knights in 1324, but thereafter the manors are separated and Duncormick is not recorded, although it seems to have been acquired by the Meiler family (Brooks 1950, 103). The motte would have been built as part of the initial settlement after 1170. It is located on a bluff on the E bank of a N-S stream that flows through Duncormick village, with the stream c. 50m to the E. The motte is a flat-topped and densely overgrown earthen mound (diam. top 17m; diam. of base 21m; H 2.9-.2m). There is no visible fosse or any visible sign of a bailey, but archaeological testing (06E0929) uncovered a substantial ditch (Wth of top 5.2m; max. D 1.35m) that could be interpreted as part of the perimeter of a bailey (Dehaene 2009). An archaeological assessment and testing (02E0040) identified elements of a field system (WX046-035002-) to the NE that may be associated with it, and a kiln (WX046-035003-) and a house (WX046-035004-) were identified to the E, close to the present road through the village (Richardson 2002; excavations.ie 2002:1799). The church site (WX046-57001- is c. 120m to the E and the castle site (WX046-034001-) is c. 120m to the SW on the other side of the river. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1996). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 19 August, 2013 Amended: 30 November 2020