Sheean — Durrow Demesne

National Monument No. 313. No surface trace of low knoll originally enclosed by a bank enclosing an area measuring 150m in diameter which was levelled in the 1980's, revealing several extended skeletons seven of which were fully excavated. The remains were of both sexes, children and adults in pits orientated E-W with the head to the W which were excavated by the National museum (NMI 1985) prior to its destruction. There was evidence of successive burial and perhaps also of burial in rows. No finds were made. Human bones were also unearthed in another glacial knoll some 200m to the N (NMI file 1985). Prior to its destruction this earthwork was described by Reynolds (1972) as a partially destroyed mound enclosed by a bank visible at NE with wide external fosse visible at N only. According to Davies (ITA Survey 1942) the site which he described as a fort consisted of a circular area (diam. 14yds) enclosed by earthen bank (ext. H 2-3 ft.) and external fosse. On the NE side there was a deep depression 9 ft. wide which cut through the ridge, sloping SE the enclosing bank rises up to a height of 9 ft. from the depression. This depression appears to be ancient and may have been an old trackway running through the ridge; its depth on the side away from the fort is up to 5 ft, the bank rises 1 ft from inside on E and is level on the other sides. The centre slopes SW and few old trees are growing on it (ITA Survey 1942). Described in 1977 as an earthwork or a partly destroyed ringfort that is enclosed by an earthen bank and external fosse (ASI file). This fort or mound was located on a natural glacial knoll with early Christian site (OF009-005----) to the NNW and remains of early Christian enclosure in the same field (OF009-005003-). This earthwork was described by the Offaly Historical and Archaeological Society in the 1970's as consisting of a raised oblong shaped platform (H 0.75m; dims. 20m N-S by 16m E-W) situated on a ridge that is cut to a depth of 3m at NE side. A second mound (OF009-031----) described by Davies in 1942 was located nearby to the SW. It is unclear whether this cemetery that was excavated by the National Museum in 1985 incorporated the two earthworks (OF009-006----/031----), one of which was marked on the OS 6-inch maps as Sheean Hill. The cemetery or burial ground appears to have been a much larger site that was defined by a bank enclosing an area approx. 150m in diameter. The relationship betweent the two earthworks (OF009-006----/031----) is unclear. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 23 May 2011