EMAP_Progress_Reports_2009_2.pdf - The Heritage Council

Louth
Faughart Lower, Co. Louth
Early Medieval Settlement-Cemetery
Grid reference: J06501060 (306500/310600)
SMR: N/A
Excavation Licence No: N/A
Excavation duration: May 2005 – April 2006
Site director: P. Bowen (ADS Ltd.)
Excavations in advance of the A1/N1 Newry-Dundalk link road revealed a multi-phase
multivallate enclosed settlement-cemetery (Fig. 207). Evidence for settlement, agriculture and
industry was identified through the artefactual assemblage and enclosed features, such as
souterrains and furnaces, while the cemetery contained nearly 800 individuals. The latter
originated during the late Iron Age/early medieval transitional period and was utilised until
potentially the end of the tenth century.
The site was situated close to other excavated contemporary settlements such as
Newtownbalregan (Bayley 2003; Roycroft 2005), Carn More (Delaney 2003; Roycroft 2005),
Tateetra (Hayes 2006), and Balriggan (Delaney 2010), and lay 3km north of Dundalk. The
early medieval ecclesiastical site at Faughart Upper is also located in the neighbouring
townland. Approximately three quarters of the site was fully excavated.
Phase I involved the construction of a bivallate enclosure that consisted of an inner earthand
rock-cut ditch which was surrounded by a much larger ditch. The oval inner enclosure
measured 29m north-south and an entrance was present to the north. The outer enclosure
was positioned between 5m and 6m away from the inner ditch and enclosed an area
approximately 40m in internal diameter. No entrance was detected.
During Phase II both enclosures were re-cut and modified slightly after they had in-filled and
silted naturally. The inner ditch was re-cut, but not entirely, and its inner edge was lined with
stones. The entrance was also modified and narrowed. The outer ditch was also re-cut along
the same lines, except to the east where a new ditch was dug 5m beyond the inner ditch.
The latter in this area was backfilled with the material from the newly dug ditch.
The morphology of the site was altered again, and substantially, during the third phase. The
inner and outer ditches were back-filled and they were replaced by a single enclosure that
defined an area 55m in diameter. Two entrances were identified to the north-west and southwest.
The western side of the ditch was more substantial than the east or northern sides as
evidenced by a large, stone-faced wall that was built into the ditch. The end of a dry-stonebuilt
souterrain was connected to the ‘wall’. The main entrance was located within the
enclosure and its passage moved northwards until it turned sharply to the west and ended at
the enclosure ‘wall’. Artefacts from deposits within the souterrain included three deliberately
broken millstones, a ploughshare and coulter, a clay crucible, pottery and personal items.
Another, fragmentary, souterrain was also recorded at the site.
The cemetery was located between the Phase I and Phase II enclosures, to the north-east,
and included 772 burials. The majority of graves were aligned west-east, unless underlying
bedrock influenced their position, and were both earth-cut and stone-lined. The graves were
compactly placed and lay on top of each other; in some places up to 12 successive levels
were recorded. Over time the burial ground expanded to the south and south-west to
incorporate further burials. The mixed cemetery contained 530 adults, 150 juveniles and 90
infants. Two burials returned radiocarbon dates of A.D. 390-550 and A.D. 790-1000 which
means the cemetery was possibly used for 600 years.
Apart from the souterrains and cemetery, a number of other internal features were identified
at Faughart Lower. These included a large well in proximity to the burial ground, several
large pits and two ironworking furnaces. The souterrains, pits and well all indicate settlement
although no houses were identified. Other indicators of habitation included a variety of pins
407