1999:419 - PROSPEROUS–ROBERTSTOWN WATER IMPROVEMENT SCHEME, Kildare

An archaeological assessment was conducted in March 1999 on a section of the Prosperous to Robertstown Water Improvement Scheme, which bisected Mulhall's Fort (SMR 13:17) along an existing road. The southern half of the fort and a segment of the northern portion remained extant, while the road and two houses and gardens had greatly disturbed its interior. The assessment was conducted before further disturbance, as it was anticipated that deeper archaeological strata may survive below the road. The fort itself measures 80m in maximum diameter.

Two trenches were excavated along the proposed pipeline and road verge to a depth of 1.4m. Two body sherds of 19th-century ceramic were recovered from one trench amongst disturbed boulder clay. The second trench crossed the western extent of the fort. No features or artefacts associated with the fort were uncovered. That the ditch was not exposed would suggest that the area had been greatly disturbed by the road construction. Consequently, it was recommended that archaeological monitoring of the route would be sufficient to identify any further features of archaeological significance along the proposed route.

A single trench, 1m wide, was excavated by machine along the route of the pipeline to accommodate a single water main and four telecom ducts within the road and verge to an average depth of 1.4m.

A 2km stretch of the scheme, between Prosperous and Blackwood crossroads, was monitored between 8 November 1999 and 30 January 2000. The natural glacial sand and gravel were exposed directly below the tarmac and hardcore layer of the roadway at an average depth of 0.3m. No archaeological features or deposits were uncovered.

The remainder of the scheme was monitored from 8 January to 15 March 2000 from Blackwood crossroads to Mulhall's Fort. A single trench 1m wide and up to 1.5m deep was excavated along the road and the road margin. The tarmac and hardcore extended to a depth of 0.3m and overlay the natural glacial sand, gravel and boulder clay. The final stretch of the pipeline between Mulhall's Fort and Robertstown was completed on 15 March 2000. Monitoring of this stretch revealed that the tarmac and hardcore deposits of the bog road extended to a depth of 0.25m and overlay an extensive layer of natural, black peat. This extended to an average depth of 1.4m and overlay the natural, grey, marly clay. No archaeological features were exposed, and no finds were recovered.

The excavation of the trench close to the various recorded sites along the route and through Mulhall's Fort did not reveal any archaeological stratigraphy. Similarly, the excavation of the pipe-trench across the dry canal bed did not reveal any features, deposits or finds.

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