Entrenchment

Surrounding Ballindoon Dominican priory (SL034-211001-) and graveyard (SL034-21102-). Described by Wood-Martin (1882, 227-8) as a 'formidable intrenchment' which surrounded the priory and graveyard on the NE side, stopping at the steep-sided lakeshore. It is indicated on the 1914 OS 6-inch map as a curved hachured scarp N-E and as a hachured bank E-SSE with a short extension to the E. None of these features are evident in a field of reclaimed grassland which surrounds the graveyard. However, a denuded linear earthen bank (L 32m; H 1.35m) (SL034-211005-) was noted parallel to, and c. 32m from, the NW wall of the graveyard. The area between this bank and the graveyard is gently undulating and slopes gradually down to the W. In a wooded area c. 80m SE of the priory is a holy well (SL034-211006-). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008