Mount Sandel Fort
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mount Sandel Fort is an iron age fort in Coleraine, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Mount Sandel is named for its Iron Age fort site, believed by some to be Kill Santain or Kilsandel, a residence of Anglo-Norman Earl of Ulster, John de Courcy in the 12th century. The Mount Sandel Mesolithic site is east of the remains of the fort.[1] Mount Sandel Fort mound is a State Care Historic Monument in the townland of Mount Sandel, in Coleraine Borough Council area, at Grid Ref: C8530 3070.[2]
This large earthwork overlooks the River Bann at the Cutts, has a tall mound hollowed out in the centre, and is surrounded by a very considerable ditch. The hollowed-out centre makes it difficult to define this monument as a motte, although it may be Kilsandel built by John de Courcy towards the end of the 12th century as a place from which he made forays west of the Bann. Excavations at the foot of the monument close to the river produced 13th century pottery and a carbonised branch of 13th century date.[3]
Excavations in 1974 in an area of flat land beside Mount Sandel fort contained fragments of glazed post-medieval pottery, tygs, everted-rim cooking pots, and early clay pipes. This implies that the fort (depicted on several late 16th century maps) possibly represents a late 16th century refortification of a ringfort.[4]
[edit] People
- Suspected serial killer John Bodkin Adams, lived in Ebenezer House, Mountsandel from 1911 to 1916 while attending the Coleraine Academical Institution. He became a general practitioner and worked in Eastbourne from 1922. He was charged in 1957 with the murder of 2 patients but was acquitted. He was, however, suspected of causing the death of 163 other patients.[5]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Mount Sandel, Ireland. About.com: Archaeology. Retrieved on 2007-12-02.
- ^ State Care Historic Monuments - Mount Sandel Fort. Environment and Heritage Service NI. Retrieved on 2007-12-02.
- ^ Mount Sandel Fort and Mesolithic Site. Go Ireland.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-02.
- ^ Mount Sandel 1974. Excavations.ie. Retrieved on 2007-12-02.
- ^ Cullen, Pamela V., "A Stranger in Blood: The Case Files on Dr John Bodkin Adams", London, Elliott & Thompson, 2006, ISBN 1-904027-19-9
