County: Wicklow Site name: ASHTON, Blessington
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 98E0425
Author: Noel Dunne, Arch-Tech Ltd.
Site type: Cultivation ridges
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 697578m, N 714426m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.171361, -6.540492
An archaeological assessment and impact study were undertaken before a major residential development to the north-west of Blessington village. A programme of test excavation was subsequently agreed with the NMHPS, and this work was carried out between 14 and 21 September 1998.
The remains of a late 17th-century house, Downshire House (SMR 5:18), lie to the north-east of the development area, and the assessment showed some of the field boundaries on the site to be contemporary with the occupation of the house. The house was burnt and abandoned in 1798.
The development area extended over five fields. Four trenches, each 30m long, were mechanically excavated in each of the fields—an overall total of 600m of trenching. The excavations showed that sandy, brown earths rested on natural gravel deposits over the entire area. Tillage features, including furrows, drills and ridges, were encountered in some of the trenches along the interface between the clay and the gravel. These varied considerably in dimension and form and may range in date from the 18th to the 20th century. No other archaeological features were evident.
The artefacts recovered are relatively modern and include sherds of delftware, crockery, china and glass; fragments of clay pipe and red brick; and some iron objects. The pottery includes two sherds of gravel-tempered ware.
32 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2
