County: Dublin Site name: RATHFARNHAM GOLF CLUB, Newtown
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 99E0344
Author: Nóra Bermingham, ADS Ltd.
Site type: Burnt mound and Burnt spread
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 713326m, N 725528m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.267972, -6.301106
A 20-acre golf-course development on the lower slopes of the Dublin Mountains in Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin, was subject to an archaeological monitoring condition. However, extensive groundworks, involving the stripping of topsoil and excavation into geological strata, had taken place before archaeological attendance. As a result, a damage assessment of the development area was conducted on instruction from Dúchas. Following this, all outstanding groundworks were monitored.
Monitoring of soil removal in the north-west corner of the development site revealed a single burnt mound with two smaller spreads of burning that may or may not have been associated with it. Here an existing watercourse was to be altered to form a pond. The watercourse ran east-west across the northern end of the development area to join up with the Owendoher River, bordering the golf-course's eastern edge. It is likely that the watercourse had once been an open stream subsequently altered by agricultural and golf-course activity.
The burnt mound was on a natural knoll just a few metres to the south of the watercourse. The mound was low, had a minimum depth of 0.15m and consisted of burnt stone, charcoal and patches of burnt clay resulting from in situ burning. The full extent of the mound was not obtained, as it extended beyond the area excavated for pond construction. Mound material was visible over an area c. 15m east-west by 6m north-south. No portable finds were retrieved from the exposed parts of the mound.
Two burnt spreads were identified c. 7m to the north-west of the burnt mound, on the northern side of the existing watercourse. Neither had been fully exposed. One was a charcoal spread 1m x 0.8m, and the other was a gritty, grey/blue clay and charcoal spread at least 1.5m x 1m. No artefacts were found in association with these deposits.
During this phase of monitoring, no other features of archaeological significance were uncovered. In several locations over the development area sherds of post-medieval pottery and clay pipe fragments were visible, and a number of field drains and French drains were also identified.
The burnt mound and the two burnt spreads were later fully excavated by Martin Reid. This extension included the monitoring of any additional outstanding groundworks.
Windsor House, 11 Fairview Strand, Dublin 3
