County: Dublin Site name: (Formerly) RATHFARNHAM CASTLE ESTATE, Rathfarnham
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 95E0200
Author: Judith Carroll
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 714390m, N 729174m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.300498, -6.283854
Archaeological trial-trenching took place on the tract of land directly across the dual carriageway from Rathfarnham Castle between 25 and 29 September 1995 and was the second such assessment on this tract of land (see Excavations 1994, 35) because the developers had decided on a complete change in the building plans, and the opening of five further east-west trenches was thus recommended by the OPW.
The site is in an area of archaeological potential. It is within the former boundary walls of the Rathfarnham Castle estate and is close to the present castle, which was built in the late 16th century, probably on the site of a 12th-century castle. The site is also adjacent to the medieval village of Rathfarnham as well as to the medieval church in which a Viking grave-slab was found.
A passageway had been found in the earlier investigation, but this trial-trenching revealed no further archaeological finds, layers or features. The topsoil was a homogeneous stony, brown crumbly topsoil, on average 0.6m to 1m in depth, criss-crossed by drains, with post-medieval pottery, brick and mortar found at a low level.
30 Ramleh Park, Milltown, Dublin 6
