1998:127 - SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PARK, Cherrywood, Dublin

This work was carried out at the location of part of the proposed Science and Technology Park at Cherrywood, Co. Dublin. An enclosure had previously been identified on the site from an aerial photograph. As part of pre-development assessment of this area of the site, geophysical survey and testing was carried out to identify the location of this enclosure.

Five test-trenches were opened across a number of anomalies identified in a magnetometer survey, which was carried out by GeoArc Ltd. These anomalies were almost all geological or modern in nature. There was no evidence of an enclosure such as that identified on the aerial photograph.

Ten discrete archaeological features and sites were examined in the area subsequently stripped for construction. These were numbered Cherrywood 1 to Cherrywood 10. Two were non-archaeological in nature (Sites 1 and 9). Four were isolated features, mostly of unknown date. The four other sites included two fulachta fiadh, two burials within an enclosing ditch, and a group of postholes probably representing a structure. The sites were mainly identified during topsoil-stripping, although Sites 2 and 3 were revealed in a test-trench. Many of the archaeological sites, such as Sites 5, 6, 7 and 10, were probably too small to have shown up on the geophysical survey.

The area examined focused on a low hill overlooking the N11 and the Shanaganagh River to the east and the eastern side of a narrow glen down to the Loughlinstown River to the west. The area to the north had been developed previously and had been examined by Linzi Simpson (Excavations 1995, 27, 94E201) and Ed O'Donovan (Excavations 1997, 25, 97E279). The area to the south is bounded by the Loughlinstown River.

Geophysical surveys and testing are to take place in 1999 in other areas of the Science and Technology Park.

Site 2: prehistoric round house?
Site 2 was discovered during manual test-trenching in the western part of Test-trench 2. Three postholes were revealed under the topsoil, and the trench was expanded to the south, south-west and north, where eighteen more postholes were found. The structure measured 8m x 6m, at 36.3m OD. The eastern part of the structure proved to have been destroyed by later disturbance, leaving three truncated postholes. An elongated and irregularly shaped pit lay to the east of the semicircle of postholes. A deposit of stones disturbed the northern part of the structure, where no further postholes could be found. The remaining postholes form a semicircle around a central posthole, with a gap between two postholes in the south-east, possibly indicating an entrance into the structure. No evidence of date or finds were recovered from the features associated with this site.

A number of finds were recovered from the topsoil, mostly burnt and unburnt flint (no artefacts), as well as two fragments of prehistoric pottery and a broken rubbing stone. Some modern sherds of pottery and nails were also found in the vicinity of the site.

Site 3: Fulacht fiadh
On a west-facing slope in the south-western corner of the field a 24m (north-south) by 9m fulacht fiadh was identified along with features relating to the Loughlinstown military camp. The site was immediately west of geophysical anomaly D, initially identified as a linear feature, which may have been a shadow image of the eastern limits of the site. The site was disturbed along its western side by a former lane dating back to at least the 1790s, when the military camp was in use. The site lay between c. 34.2m and 35.82m OD.

An 8ft by 6ft rectangular platform was uncovered just to the east of the fulacht fiadh. The platform had been dug into the slope, and only two shale flagstones and a narrow gully at the rear remained of what may have been a timber guard-post. This would have been an outpost along the lane leading into the camp, which is supposed to have lain further north of the development. The sunken base of the platform had been backfilled with topsoil that contained some fragments of animal bone and a 1792 Duke of Lancaster halfpenny token.

The mound of the fulacht fiadh had been levelled at this time, as a midden of material, including animal bone, was scattered amongst material that overlay a deposit of topsoil, sealing parts of the fulacht fiadh. This included another 1792 halfpenny token, from Camac, Ryan and Camac.

The main deposit of burnt material, F81, overlay a series of features related to the use of the site as a fulacht fiadh. Two deposits below F81, F82 and F83 (below F82) were also identified, although they were no more than a few centimetres deep. A number of other features were recorded below F81, including a series of lines of stake-holes, and postholes and a shallow gully. It is unclear whether any of these should be seen as structural. It is likely that F83 and F82 were the same layer, with F83 only occurring at the interface between F82 and the natural. The area around the site appears to have been stripped of topsoil at the time of use, so these deposits are likely to be contemporary with the use of the site, as is F81.

Eight troughs were identified on the site, along with two possible troughs disturbed by the lane. All were circular or subcircular and unlined. The diameters ranged from 1.2m to 2m, and they were 0.3-0.8m deep. Several appeared to have been cut into natural springs. Hearths were identified as a number of circular areas of burnt clay beside the troughs.

Two field drains had been dug through the site (north-south), removing any direct stratigraphic relationship between F81, F82 and F83 and the troughs. Most of the trough had been backfilled with material indistinguishable from F81.

A series of finds was recovered from F81, F82 and F83. Only undecorated coarseware (Lough Gur Class II) was recovered from the lowest level (F83). Both decorated and undecorated pottery was recovered from F82, along with some worked flint. The pottery was mainly Lough Gur Class II-style undecorated coarseware with simple rims, a tulip-shaped profile and flat bases (Knockadoon variant). A single sherd of decorated (Beaker?) pottery was recovered at this level. The main deposit of burnt material (F81) contained a number of sherds of AOC comb-incised Beaker pottery, along with more of the Lough Gur Class II ware.

Flint flakes, debitage and hammerstones were also recovered from this deposit. A number of flint artefacts were recovered from the disturbed area of the lane and the interface between F81 and the natural at the north of the site. These included three intact javelinheads (62mm, 78mm and 118mm long), a broken and unfinished one and a leaf-shaped arrowhead (45mm long). A side-scraper and a double-ended scraper/hollow scraper were also recovered from this area.Butchered animal bone was recovered from the upper (midden and topsoil) levels of the site. In only one instance could bone (an ovicaprid tooth) be associated with the fulacht fiadh phase.

Site 4: ring-barrow
This site was discovered during stripping of topsoil in the northern part of the site. It lies on the flat ridge, to the west of Site 5. The barrow is circular, while the width of the ring-ditch varies owing to the irregular outer edge of the ditch. It has an internal diameter of c. 8.5m. The site lies at 39.05m OD.

The barrow had been built by creating a mound (F71) in the centre of a ring-ditch (F51), probably using the material excavated from the ditch. The mound was up to 0.3m deep, and the ditch was up to 0.6m deep. There were no surviving traces of an external bank.

A rectangular cut in the ground surface below F71 was orientated north-north-west/south-south-east, measured 2.35m by 0.7m and was up to 0.3m deep. This was filled by the same material that had been mounded up in the centre (F71). Within the mound was a supine juvenile inhumation, lying alongside the rectangular cut and parallel to it. The burial was in poor condition, and there was no indication of a formal grave-cut.

A sub-square pit (F77) had also been dug into F71, measuring c. 0.8m2 and c. 0.6m deep. At the base of this pit was a circle of stones containing five cattle teeth.The central mound was capped with a layer of clay that contained a pit cremation and a number of small spreads of charcoal. There was a small amount of fragmentary burnt human bone in the cremation, suggesting token deposition.

Within the ring-ditch the primary fill was a discontinuous lens of charcoal that also contained a large number of fragments of burnt bone, including some immediately identifiable skull and long bone fragments. The quantity of this material suggests that it may represent pyre debris.

Burnt human and animal bone and disarticulated animal bone was distributed irregularly but appeared in various densities throughout the ring-ditch. The faunal remains include cattle teeth and shed antler.

Pieces of struck flint were found (mainly at the four cardinal points), including two thumbnail scrapers, which suggest a possible Bronze Age date.

Site 5: Burnt pit
This site was revealed during topsoil-stripping on 20 November 1998 as a subcircular feature, 0.58m east-west by 0.5m. The depth was 0.18m, at 37.82m OD. The pit had shallow, sloping sides and a concave and irregular base, defined by fire-hardened/heated red clay, showing in situ burning. The fill contained dark brown/black, peaty clay with lumps of charcoal and staining. The fill was mottled with yellow/brown clay and particles of fired, red clay. Some unburnt limestone was also found in the fill. The date of the site is unknown.

Three pieces of flint were recovered, one of which had been burnt.

Site 6: burnt pit/cremation
This site was discovered during topsoil-stripping on 27 November 1998 and lies at the flat top of the gentle ridge. It is subcircular in plan, 0.15m in diameter and 0.09m deep, at 40.04m OD. The sides of the pit are shallow, and the base is concave. The fill contains a moderate amount of burnt bone in charcoal-stained, grey/black, silty clay and some small stones and grits. The stones appear unburnt.

Directly to the south of the pit is an area of fire-reddened clay as a surface spread, measuring 0.15m x 0.2m. The date of the site is unknown, although it is likely to be Bronze Age.

Site 7: pit with animal bones
Site 7 was discovered during stripping of topsoil on the flat ridge that forms the upper part of the field. A crescent-shaped pit was uncovered, which contained some disarticulated animal bone and charcoal.The crescent-shaped feature measures 0.6–0.7m (north-south) by 2.7m and is 0.48m deep, cutting into natural. Occasional flecks of charcoal occurred in the top of the fill, which consisted of brown clay overlying brown/orange, silty clay. The date of this feature is unknown.

The fill contained a large amount of unburnt animal bone and teeth of mixed species, one piece of struck flint and one piece of worked chert.

Site 8: Fulacht fiadh
Site 8 lies on a west-facing slope and appeared as an irregularly shaped deposit of burnt stone (100% granite, up to 0.25m long) and charcoal. The site was sealed by topsoil and overlies natural. The overall dimensions of the spread are 7.1m (north-south) by 3.6m; the depth was up to 0.23m at 33.95m OD. Later disturbance was apparent to the east of the site, and in the west a cobble-filled field drain cuts the site in a north-south direction.

A trough lay below the north-eastern corner of the burnt spread. It had been truncated in the north-eastern corner by original removal of topsoil for the drain-cut. The trough had two phases of use: the original trough and the later recut. The original trough measures 1.8m (south-west/north-east) by 0.5m and is up to 0.8m deep. It was filled with a deposit of sticky, grey clay, which contained burnt granite, charcoal and other burnt stone fragments. The stone was consistently <15–20% of the matrix. Four surviving postholes appeared in the corners of the trough. The recut trough measured 2.05m (north-east/south-west) by 1.35m and was up to 0.6m deep. Postholes from the original lining were visible along the long sides of the trough, five on each side.

A number of topsoil finds were recovered from the vicinity of the site, of which the cattle bone appeared to represent the most recent interment. There were no datable finds, but the site is probably Bronze Age in date.

Site 10: burnt pit/hearth
This single pit was discovered during topsoil-stripping. An oval feature was set into natural and appears to have been burnt in situ. It measures 2m (north-north-east/south-south-west) by 0.9m and 0.12m deep, at 38.54m OD. The base is concave, and the sides are shallow with a gradual break in slope. The fill was mixed, with grey/brown, silty clay, charcoal-rich clay and fired/heated, orange/red clay. A number of large burnt/heated stones (<0.2m), mostly granite and smaller fragments of rotted limestone, were found in the fill.

Fragments of burnt bone and a possible quernstone were found in the fill.

2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin