The ecclesiastical settlement at Glendalough, Co. Wicklow   was one of Ireland’s most important centres of pilgrimage from the early medieval period to the 19th century. I have visited this site on many  occasions  and each time I see something that I havent noticed before.

St Kevin’s Church at Glendalough

This visit  luckily coincided with the  School of Archaeology  UCD, research excavation at the upper lake.  This excavation is  part of a research and teaching project focusing on the Glendalough Valley which has been on going since 2009.  This year their team of archaeologists and students are doing  a geophysical survey at an area called the pattern bank close to the round tower at the lower lake and they are excavating a number of trenches at the upper lake.  One of the trenches contains a  possible  medieval leacht. The  leacht was part of the post medieval pilgrim landscape and excavation will prove if it was also part of the  medieval pilgrim landscape.

Excavation of Leacht at Upper Lake Glendalough

The progress of the dig is being is being up dated daily  on the Glendalough Archaeology Blog  http://www.ucdblogs.org/glendalougharchaeologyproject/blog/

I cant wait to follow the progress and see what the dig uncovers.