School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology

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Archaeology students from Queen’s University have been part of the major discovery of a 12th Century Medieval Lime Kiln, in the grounds of Dundrum Castle

A discovery, which is thought to be a Medieval Lime Kiln dating back to the 12th Century, has been excavated on the site of Dundrum Castle in County Down. The Castle has been part of the County Down landscape for almost 1000 years, and now a group of Archaeology students, from Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), have played a role in unearthing this major discovery on the site. The lime kiln is thought to have been used to create the mortar which would have been needed for construction on the site and therefore may predate the Castle which stands on the Dundrum hills. The excavation work has been overseen by the Centre for Archaeological Fieldwork (CAF), which is based within the School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology at QUB. CAF carries out archaeology work for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA). The students have been working directly with CAF staff to record soil samples and artefacts, which are found during the work.

Brian Stone, CAF’s Assistant Excavation Director, commented: “We started exploring this section last year and knew something was here, now through this excavation we have discovered what we think to be a lime kiln, most likely used to make the mortar to build the Castle. We think that the lime kiln may date back to the 12th Century. We hope that when we reach the bottom, we will find evidence of the fuel they used, mostly likely charcoal, and will be able to use this to carry out carbon dating. We are also finding a number of artefacts, such as pottery and animal bones. This helps us to piece together what life would have been like for people living close to the Castle at the time the kiln was in use.”

Dundrum Castle has been the site of archaeological interest for many years, and recently has been the venue for the filming of Channel 4’s Time Team. The current excavation has taken several weeks and the students have been able to assist in each stage of the work, from initial surveys to recording of artefacts.

First Year Archaeology student Roisin O’Neill said: “It has been exhausting taking part in the work but really worthwhile. We have been working on the site for four weeks, and it has been a great opportunity as we have never been involved in an archaeological dig like this before. I have had a great experience and I know that few universities offer students the chance to be involved in this type of excavation work.”

Fieldwork is an important element of many of the courses within the School as it allows students the opportunity to see how their theory is applied in real life situations. It also gives additional experience in practical fieldwork, which is vital for students who have aspirations of continuing into employment, in professional archaeology.

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