Digging back in time

Digging back in time

20 June 2012 - by BY DAVID TELFORD

ARCHAEOLOGISTS have uncovered evidence which sheds new light on the history of the hill on which Dundrum Castle was built.

Pottery fragments dating back from before the Norman invasion were unearthed last week during a major dig at the site carried out by the Environment Agency in conjunction with Channel Four’s Time Team and the Centre for Archaeological Fieldwork at Queen’s University.

The commanding castle which looks out across the village is believed to have been constructed around 800 years ago, but last week’s excavation revealed there was much older settlement on the site which may have been the home of a Gaelic dynasty.

The castle was built by John de Courcy following

his invasion of Ireland and

it was always believed the castle was strategically located to control access to Lecale from the west and the south.

But the discovery of a large stone structure by the Time Team members — led by Tony Robinson — gives weight to the theory that de Courcy built his castle where he did because it was already an important settlement.

Politicians say the discoveries will lead to a new development in the story of the Dundrum area with the artefacts uncovered pre-dating the Patrician era and could include evidence of the Iron age and possibly the imprint of the Celts.

A number of them were in Dundrum last week to view the work going on with the archaeologists also joined by pupils from the village’s sacred Heart Primary School.

Environment Agency architect Paul Logue said the Dundrum site could have been inhabited as far back as Roman times.

“We did know there was a wall there before from a dig in the 1950s, but Time Team have been able to work out its size and shape,” he said. “It is a dry stone wall unlike Norman buildings like Dundrum Castle which are mortared.”

Mr. Logue explained the dry stone wall is sub-circular in shape and about 10 or 12 metres across and sits right on top of the hill.

He continued: “What we think it might have been is a large circular building, possibly a house or some sort of citadel. We presume it was the home of someone of high status in the area and he was targeted by de Courcy.

“It would have been visible as far away as Downpatrick and we think that possibly when de Courcy invaded there, it was pointed out to him.”

Stormont Environment Minister Alex Attwood who attended last week’s archaeological dig in Dundrum said the village castle is testament to “our wonderful built and natural heritage.”

While the Time Team members have left Dundrum after three days’ filming, Queen’s archaeologists are staying on until the end of the month in order to investigate more of the castle’s history.

The Time Team episode featuring Dundrum Castle is expected to be screened early next year.