Excavation

This monument was excavated (Licence no. 08E0155) in advance of road widening. Three phases of archaeological activity were identified, the earliest of which was a wide linear ditch (exposed for 99m E-W) that ran along the base of the hill where Donabate church (DU012-005001-) and tower house (DU012-005002-) are located. Radiocarbon analysis of a sample of animal bone from the ditch fill returned an early medieval date (661-778 cal. AD). The second phase consisted of structures (DU012-082002-), drainage ditches and pits dated to the 13th – 14th centuries. An E-W ditch cut into the early medieval ditch and returned a later medieval date from an animal bone sample (1429-1473 cal. AD). The final phase consisted of a post-medieval circular building with a substantial stone footing (interpreted as a possible dovecote), ditches and a metalled path (Kavanagh 2011, 32). Compiled by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 5 February 2015