Medieval Settlement, Mountgorry, Swords, Co. Dublin

Excavations have recently taken place on the site of an early medieval settlement site at Mountgorry, Swords, Co. Dublin. The site was identified in August 2004 during monitoring of topsoil stripping for a proposed housing development. Initial findings are summarised here and post excavation analysis is ongoing.

On initial identification, the site comprised a series of linear and isolated features along with a circular ditch surrounding a low raised area, later found to be an artificial mound. Excavation of all these features took place from December 2004 through to May 2005 under license number 04E1604.

The circular ditch surrounding the raised area was found to be a later feature and lay immediately outside of an earlier circular ditch. Both ditches measured c. 5m in width and up to 2m in depth. Finds from both ditches indicate an early medieval date with two wooden barrel straps being retrieved from each ditch. Along with evidence of possible destroyed wattle structures. Evidence suggests that the earlier inner ditch surrounded a flat enclosed area from which no features survive, while later expansion saw the excavation of a larger outer ditch enclosing an area c. 40m in diameter. During the excavation of the outer ditch, the inner ditch was backfilled with the excavated natural subsoil and was therefore very difficult to identify on the surface prior to excavation. At the same time as the excavation of the outer ditch, a low mound was artificially created inside the ditch and a metalled surface was constructed on the southern side of the ditch leading up to a probable bridge structure represented by five surviving wooden posts which survived in situ.

On top of the artificial mound, two stone built structures were constructed. One structure comprised a rectangular structure built using upright stones set into sockets overlying the backfilled inner ditch, while the other was a narrow curvilinear structure built using flat stones surviving up to three courses. A decorated copper pin was retrieved from a central pit in the rectangular structure and similar examples date to the 11th to 12th centuries.

Other features identified on the site included a series of ditches possibly representing a large rectangular structure located to the south of and truncated by the outer enclosure ditch. The linear and curvilinear ditches that comprised the possible structures, were up to 0.5m in depth and 0.7m in width, and this is probably too large to be interpreted as a construction slot trench. A decorated copper pin was retrieved from one of these ditches and a date and function has not been determined at this time.

Similarly, a possible rectangular structure was identified on the western side of the outer enclosing ditch but was badly truncated by later activity. Another decorated pin retrieved from this ditch suggests that this feature may also be of medieval date. It is unclear at this time what the function of this feature was as no internal features were identified.

Of the remaining features identified on the site, a pit was excavated to the south of the possible rectangular slot trench that contained a large amount of late Neolithic pottery. Evidence of prehistoric activity in the area had already been identified 300m to the northeast where a mid Bronze Age barrow was excavated in August 2004.

A number of linear features were excavated in the south of the site and numerous features were found to cut and be cut by other features, clearly indicating sustained activity in the area.

The report on the excavation is currently being prepared and sufficient environmental and artefactual evidence has been retrieved that should allow a fuller and more precise picture of the site to be determined.

Stuart Halliday