County: Dublin Site name: LAUGHANSTOWN (Site 28)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0880
Author: Patricia Lynch, for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd.
Site type: Military camp
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 720809m, N 724405m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.256236, -6.189407
Historical records have revealed that a large 18th-century army encampment was located in Laughanstown, Co. Dublin. Because of the historical background of this area a metal-detection survey was carried out, which resulted in over 1000 readings. The highest distribution of the readings appeared to lie to the north of the site. The site, which was 280m by 80m, will be directly affected by the construction of the Dublin South-Eastern Motorway. Six test-trenches were hand-dug in order to identify the encampment area.
In Trenches 1 and 3–6 the topsoil lay directly on top of the subsoil. No archaeological features or artefacts were identified. All measured either 4m or 2m by 1m. In Trench 2 (8m x 1m) a small bank and ditch were identified. The ditch was filled with silt and contained a small deposit of charcoal on the eastern side.
Because of the size of the field, the small amount of trenches and the lack of archaeological features and artefacts identified, it has been recommended that further test-trenching be carried out.
112 Cianlea, Swords, Co. Dublin and Brehon House, Kilkenny Road, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny
