County: Kildare Site name: POLLARDSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Mr. T. Fanning, National Parks and Monuments Branch, Office of Public Works
Site type: Castle - ringwork
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 676330m, N 715161m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.181437, -6.858051
The fort was sited on the summit of a narrow and very steep-sided gravel ridge near Newbridge, Co. Kildare. It had been almost totally destroyed by a gravel quarry. It was defended by a broad inner bank surrounded by a deep fosse and an outer bank on the slope of the ridge. Only a small portion of the defences remained intact and a tiny vestige of the interior. Previous surveys had indicated an overall diameter of about 70m.
Excavation of the inner bank showed that it was constructed of a number of layers of gravel and clay obtained from the fosse. No trace of a stone facing or wooden palisade could be detected. The extant portion of the outer bank and fosse were covered in a dense growth of trees and scrub and in the circumstances only two small cuttings could be made across both in the north western sector. These showed that the fosse had filled up with alternate layers of brown and grey soil the latter containing a large number of stones. There was a complete absence of finds and animal bone from these cuttings.
The tiny portion of the interior which had survived the quarrying, and which lay along the edge of the gravel pit was fully investigated. After removal of humus a black stony layer appeared containing animal bone fragments and, considering the small area excavated, a relatively large number of iron objects. Two small deposits of charcoal were also uncovered in this layer. The stratigraphical evidence suggests that this habitation area and the construction of the defence are broadly contemporary.
The finds, which include iron stirrups, an arrowhead, buckle and some horse-shoe nails are not typical of the normal habitation material from the native ringfort.
