Ecclesiastical enclosure in Kill OF THE Grange

The following report describes the results of an archaeological excavation (Ministerial Consent C00845, Reg. No. E004940) at St. Fintan’s Park, Kill of the Grange, Dublin within the construction corridor for a drainage pipeline which traversed the zone of notification for Kill of the Grange Church (National Monument No. 207, DU023-015001), well and bullaun stone (National Monument 587, DU023-015003) and graveyard (DU023-015002). The drainage works, associated with construction of a residential development to the north, were carried out between 13th December 2017 and 26th January 2018. The southeast limit of the pipeline corridor (c. 45m length) passed within 6m of the current graveyard wall traversing the zone of notification for the church, which is a National Monument (No. 207). The current excavation was undertaken on behalf of Elliot Group in response to a reported threat to the National Monument received by the Monument Protection Division of the National Monuments Service (NMS) on 15th December 2017. 'Archaeological monitoring of groundworks proceeded from 5th January 2018 and archaeological features were immediately identified within a section of the pipeline corridor adjacent to the graveyard wall. These features were investigated and a mitigation strategy agreed with the NMS under Ministerial Consent C000845 and Registration No. E004940. A number of archaeological features were excavated, or partially excavated, where exposed within the pipeline wayleave. These included six small pits, a shallow gully, two large ditches, the boulder core of an inner bank and two inhumation burials. The burials and curving ditch were dated through Accelerated Mass Spectroscopy (14C) to the 6th or 7th centuries, while the larger ditch, gully and inner bank were artefactually dated to the 12th and 13th centuries. Interestingly one of the burials deviates from the normative practice of the time, with the body deposited in the curve of an open ditch in a prone position. Deviant burial may indicate punitive treatment of an individual or suggest a penitent custom. Despite the limited size of the excavation area, the information retrieved represents important progress in our understanding of both the early medieval and medieval development of the Kill of the Grange site. The excavations have unearthed evidence of the earliest phases of activity at the site, particularly in relation to dating of the ditch fill which represents activity close to the cusp of the advent of Christianity in Ireland. Physical evidence corroborating the well documented medieval activity at Kill of the Grange has been gained which may provide information on the nature of the agricultural ‘village of the Church’ documented from the 12th century. Subsequent to the excavations carried out by IAC in January 2018, a geophysical survey was commissioned by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. This survey was carried out by Joanna Leigh (Detection Licence No. 18E0037) on behalf of Archaeology Plan. The results are summarised as follows: '‘The geophysical survey was affected by broad ferrous responses and areas of magnetic disturbance. Nevertheless, responses of potential interest were recorded. A curvilinear series of responses corresponds with a boundary feature of Kill Abbey as depicted in historic mapping. The curving feature appears to extend to meet the existing graveyard wall. This may represent a buried wall or boundary feature of Kill Abbey. Large ferrous responses correspond with the location of the holy-well site (DU23:015003) which is depicted in the historic mapping. In the vicinity of the excavation site, two short linear responses were detected. Interpretation is cautious as these may represent more recent activity. However, it is possible that further ditch features, associated with those identified during the excavation have been recorded.’ (Leigh 2018)' (Duffy 2019). Leigh, J. 2018 Geophysical Survey Report, St. Fintan’s Park, Deansgrange, County Dublin. Licence: 18R0037. Unpublished report by J. M. Leigh Surveys Ltd. Duffy, P. 2019 Final Excavation Report (Licence No. E004940) at Saint Fintan’s Park, Kill of the Grange, Co. Dublin, on behalf of Elliot Group for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. Ministerial Consent C00845. Irish Archaeology Consultancy Ltd. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by Paul Duffy Date of upload: 10 July 2023