County: Dublin Site name: SCHOLARSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Valerie Keeley, for Dublin County Council
Site type: Ringfort - unclassified
Period/Dating: Medieval (AD 400-AD 1600)
ITM: E 712722m, N 726782m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.279369, -6.309705
For an eight-week period during the spring of 1985 archaeological excavation was carried out at the site of the 'Fairy Fort', Scholarstown.
The area uncovered, measuring 1281 sq.m, exposed much of the ditch and bank and 3/4 of the interior of the fort. Much recent activity in the form of a system of linear cultivation features and drains was observed. The archaeological features included a D-shaped structure which was uncovered in the interior of the fort. It was composed of a main wall-trench of curved semi-circular shape with the two extremities turning inward. A second wall-trench on the south side of this followed the same curve and may have functioned as a support for the main structure. Both features exhibited settings of packing stones along their length.
A hearth was uncovered at the extreme western area of the interior. It was irregularly shaped and bounded by three large stones. A series of features in the form of postholes, stakeholes and pits was also discovered.
The finds include flints, an iron knife and a stone loom-weight which was found in the main wall-trench, where it acted as a packing stone.
