Lesser churches, kin-groups and communities in the Early Middle Ages: Archaeological evidence from Corcu Duibne, Ireland

The proliferation of lesser churches in many parts of Europe before and during the Carolingian period expressed, among other things, the agency of people of middling status. These sites clearly represent something quite different from the more uniform parish system of the Central Middle Ages, but it can be challenging to investigate the extent to which they varied in scale and character. Corcu Duibne is particularly attractive in this regard because the archaeology of its church sites is relatively well-understood while other settlements also survive in great numbers. In combination, this evidence allows us tentatively to distinguish between relatively isolated churches on the one hand and sites that seem more closely associated with kin-groups or wider communities on the other. It is hoped that the insights it provides into the diverse strategies of those who invested in lesser churches will be useful for comparative purposes.