County: Kildare Site name: ATHY: Garter Lane
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 99E0221
Author: Martin E. Byrne
Site type: Historic town
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 668107m, N 693980m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.992218, -6.985540
Trial-trenching was undertaken at the site of a proposed apartment development at Garter Lane, Athy, on 1 May 1999. The work was undertaken in compliance with recommendations issued by Dúchas in relation to a pre-planning enquiry regarding the development. The site is on the eastern bank of the River Barrow and immediately to the north of White Castle.
Six trial-trenches were excavated by machine in order to determine the nature and extent of any subsurface archaeological features, deposits or finds that may have existed within the boundaries of the proposed development area.
No structural features or finds of archaeological interest were uncovered. However, a black, silty layer was revealed in all the trial-trenches. Subsequent borehole investigations indicated that this layer was at least 0.6–1m thick. The highest level on the surface of this layer was 53.1m OD.
It is suggested that the silty layer is the remnants of both the Barrow riverbed and the bed of the former mill-race that existed in this area in antiquity. Furthermore, the uppermost layer represents a fill material, introduced into the area in the mid-19th century when the area was reclaimed.
31 Millford, Athgarvan, Co. Kildare
