County: Dublin Site name: ROSEPARK, Balrothery
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 5:05708, 5:05707 Licence number: 99E0155
Author: Christine Baker and Rónán Swan, Arch-Tech Ltd.
Site type: Hilltop enclosure
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 720143m, N 761086m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.585873, -6.185411
A two-week pre-development testing programme was undertaken on a 7.82-acre site in the vicinity of a holy well (SMR 5:05707) and in the area of a significant concentration of cropmarks (SMR 5:05708), with a standing stone (SMR 5:05702) in an adjacent field. Eight cuttings were opened by machine, five north-south and three east-west. A consistent stratigraphy was revealed in all the cuttings, with a thin top sod overlying the ploughsoil, a mid- to dark brown, silty clay with a moderate amount of small stone, which in turn overlay the natural deposits. There is variation in the depth of ploughsoil, which seems to be the product of tillage across the site, with the elevated areas of the site having a limited depth (maximum 0.4m) while the low-lying areas have a greater accumulation of ploughsoil.
Sixty-nine features were identified. The principle concentration is in the south-western area of the site, which is also elevated. This area is represented on an aerial photograph by two circular cropmarks. The testing revealed the presence of a series of ditches, which appear to follow the contours of the slope. Furrows are also discernible within this area, as are pits and other occupation features, e.g. areas of burning.
The features that appear to comprise the principal enclosure(s) are F2–7 in Cutting 1; F47, F54 and F55 in Cutting 6; and F65 in Cutting 7. This conclusion has been reached from an analysis of an aerial photograph and an examination of the character, extent and location of all features revealed in the testing. F2 and F4 were sectioned, while F54 and F65 are characterised by very significant breaks in slope.
A piece of worked flint and a piece of slag were recovered from F4. Fragments of bone and charcoal were recovered from F2 and F4.
The features throughout the rest of the site include furrows. Sections were cut through two of them. A section was also cut through a possible boundary feature that had evidence of a double ditch within it. Charcoal was recovered from these three features.
There appears to be a change in the axis of the cultivation furrows on the site, which is most apparent in Cutting 5, where F56–64 have a north-south axis, while in Cutting 4 F20–26 have an east-west axis. This change in axis may represent two separate patterns of land use.
The central area to the south-east of the holy well is the only part of the site lacking any discernible archaeological features. However, it is characterised by a small tract of bog. This central area also had some of the deepest deposits of ploughsoil.
The features identified appear to include the remains of partially destroyed enclosure(s) and evidence of a settlement landscape, including furrows, boundary features, areas of burning and the holy well. The landscape may represent a ringfort with its associated fields, enclosures and well.
32 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2
