Early Christian double-ditched enclosure, Newcastle Co. Dublin

A double ditched enclosure was identified in Ballynakelly townland, the inner enclosure being concentric to the outer enclosure at a distance of up to 35m. The enclosures were an unusual shape,  almost square with rounded corners. The area between the inner enclosure and the outer enclosure was divided by shallow linear and curvilinear ditches into smaller field enclosures.

The outer enclosure enclosed an area of 90m diameter. It had an average depth of 0.65m and an average width of 1.25m. The ditch was filled with a mid brown silt with layers of charcoal and burnt clay in the east.  The ditch petered out in the west, but became gradually more substantial as it progressed east and then north towards towards the entrance to the inner enclosure.

The inner ditch had a diameter of 40m. The northern side of the enclosure extended beyond the edge of excavation. The ditch measured an average 1.45m in depth and varied from 2-3m in width.