Ecclesiastical enclosure in Holycross

Situated on a gradual SE-facing slope in gently undulating terrain, under tillage. The earlier placename for the village was Ceall Uachta Lawyne or Lamund meaning 'the upper church (or small) church (in the territory) of Lamund' (Stevens 2001). Two widely spaced curving cropmarks were identified on an aerial photograph (ASIAP 43 (10-17) 11/8/96) immediately E of the disused nineteenth-century C of I church at the northern end of the village. These presumably formed the bivallate enclosing element of a large circular or oval enclosure. It is possible that these originally surrounded an Early Christian church (TN047-110002) or monastic site, no trace of which survives above ground. The SE portion of the enclosure has been built over and possibly destroyed by the Sue Ryder complex and a playing field behind the present school. The remains of the enclosure at E and ESE are visible as a very broad bank (Wth 23m; int. H 0.35m; ext. H 0.82m), likely to have been flattened as a result of ploughing activity. Elsewhere the enclosure is not visible above ground level. Archaeological testing in the NE quadrant has revealed portion of the enclosing element, consisting of 'a shallow enclosing ditch (Wth 1.6m; D 0.35m), residual bank and interior occupation deposits' (Stevens 2001). This testing was carried out under licence No. 01E0168 (Bennett 2003, 383-4). In 2000 archaeological excavation at the Church of Ireland building by Paul Stevens revealed no archaeological features. Carried out under licence No. 00E0634 (Bennett 2002, 321-2). The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 22 September 2008