1998:329 - NAAS: Friary Road, Kildare

An archaeological evaluation was carried out at a site on Friary Road, Naas, Co. Kildare, on 19 October 1998. Planning permission had been granted for the construction of three two-storey apartment blocks on the site.

The development site consists of a rectangular property, c. 53m east-west by 17m, fronting onto Friary Road. Most of the site has been vacant in recent years. A single structure stood in the north-western corner of the site along part of the street front, and this was demolished before testing.

Three test-trenches were inserted over the development area. The stratigraphy was generally quite simple over most of the site, consisting of topsoil to varying depths, over natural gravel. A number of features, which consisted of cuts into the natural filled with a material almost indistinguishable from the topsoil, were noted within Trenches 1 and 2. F2–4 and possibly F5 appeared to represent pits or linear cuts, but neither their form nor fills provided evidence to permit a more precise interpretation. The occurrence of a sherd of medieval pottery within F5 may indicate a medieval origin for this feature, and the general absence of any modern or early modern contamination in the fills of these features militates strongly against an argument that they are of modern origin. Indeed, while a couple of sherds of modern pottery were found within the topsoil that covered most of the site, the general absence of modern material within this topsoil was noteworthy and suggests little disturbance in recent centuries.

One feature, identified at the rear of the site, was of particular interest. While only the western edge of this feature was uncovered during testing, the exposed sections of the cut are suggestive of a linear ditch of substantial dimensions. The location and direction of this feature would be consistent with the line of the town wall as suggested by Bradley in the Urban Archaeological Survey. An antiquity for the feature is suggested by the apparent absence of inclusions of modern origin and by a sherd of medieval pottery, found on the base of the trench, which may have originated from its fill.

Subsequent monitoring of level reductions in this area confirmed that this feature continued across the site and under the northern boundary wall. It could be seen to measure 3.4m wide in this area. Monitoring also revealed the base of what may be an early south boundary wall on the eastern end of the site. This feature lay over the backfill of the ditch.

Further monitoring of groundworks associated with this development is to take place in 1999.

39 Kerdiff Park, Monread, Naas, Co. Kildare