County: Kildare Site name: KILCULLEN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 98E0418
Author: Breandán Ó Ríordáin, for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 683943m, N 709611m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.130420, -6.745630
The upgrading of the Kilcullen Sewerage Scheme involved the excavation of trenches varying from over 3m to 1m deep, on the route extending northwards on rising ground from Kilcullen town to the suburbs and estates on the road leading to Naas.
This particular area was characterised by the presence of a considerable stratum of sandy soil and gravel immediately below the tarmac and road metalling. This feature had resulted from the fact that the original humus and topsoil had been removed in earlier times during construction of the main thoroughfare that was the first turnpike road in this region. It was noteworthy that the original boulder clay overlying the sand and gravel deposits had not been removed from the more level ground leading southwards from Kilcullen town centre towards the Athy road.
Whilst a number of relatively modern concentrations of domestic spoil and bric-a-brac were encountered during trenching in areas adjoining the River Liffey close to the town bridge, no material of archaeological interest was recovered during the monitoring carried out between January and mid-June 1999.
Burgage More, Blessington, Co. Wicklow
