Archaeological dig at St Crispin’s Cell

A community-led archaeological excavation will take place at St Crispin’s Cell in Greystones from Monday, November 5 until Friday, November 9.

St Crispin’s Cell, located to the north of Greystones, are the remnants of a small chapel constructed around 1530 AD. It may have been a chapel for the nearby Rathdown Castle, now completely destroyed.

The cell sits on a two-hectare site that contains evidence of pre-historic, early Christian, medieval and post-medieval settlements. The ruins are all protected structures and the site itself is protected under the Greystones Local Area Plan which seeks ‘to protect the character of this area as a heritage and amenity area for public amenity and education’.

People are being invited by Tidy Towns and Redford Park Residents Association to be involved in unearthing the rich history of the area by participating in an archaeological examination of the site.

There are morning sessions, from 9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and afternoon sessions, from 2 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.

The minimum contribution required is one half day. To register your interest, contact Marie Burbrigde on 087 251171.

The project is being sponsored by the Heritage Department, Wicklow County Council, and facilitated by Irish Archaeology Consultants.