2000:0320 - LAUGHANSTOWN, Dublin

Thirteen known sites were scheduled to be excavated within the Laughanstown/Glebe complex as a result of a comprehensive archaeological assessment process as part of the South-Eastern Motorway. The excavations are focused on an area close to the known wedge tomb and cairn sites. To date, excavation has proceeded on four sites: Site 35D (large embanked enclosure), Site 36E (topographical anomaly), Site 23 (area between Site 36E and the wedge tomb) and the present site. A further large site is currently being excavated in Glebe townland (see Excavations 2000,  No. 300). In addition, following a request by Dun Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council, an area around the site was stripped using machine-assisted archaeological mitigation.

Site 35D
A low oval enclosure was visible from the results of a close-contoured topographical survey. Test-trenching confirmed the presence of an embanked monument. An area of 2500m2 was targeted for excavation on this site. Sod and topsoil up to 0.5m deep were removed across the site.

Flint debitage was located sporadically through the disturbed topsoil, along with modern and medieval pottery. A significant number of 18th-century coins and tokens have been located, along with a metal badge bearing a bugle insignia, a gun flint and a blue glass intaglio bearing the image of a gentleman with wig and ruff on one side and a family crest on the other. In addition, a number of copper-alloy buttons of a number of regiments were located, including the Kildare Militia, the Louth Militia and the Royal Irish Artillery Regiment. Considerable numbers of musket shot, gun flints and a weight bearing the official Crown measure were also found. These finds are related to intensive military activity at the nearby Laughanstown military camp in the 18th century (Murray 1945). A medieval gold finger ring with a semi-precious stone (an onyx) mounted in it was also located in the plough material. Prehistoric artefacts from immediately over the enclosure in the ploughsoil included hammerstones, hollow scrapers, end scrapers, blades and pottery.

The monument was created by scarping an area in the centre and heaping material externally to form wide banks. The bank material was distinguished as a red-brown clay from the grey-brown subsoil. A substantial quantity of stone, mostly granite and quartz of varying sizes, was subsequently heaped over the banks. The stone was in greater concentrations on the eastern side of the monument and had been clearly disturbed elsewhere. A fragment of a porphyry stone axe was located within this material (identification by Gabriel Cooney and Emmet Byrnes, Irish Stone Axe Project).

A large number of plough furrows running north-west/south-east were excavated. These furrows cut the subsoil and partially cut bank material. It is clear that the banks formed a formidable obstacle to ploughing as many ploughlines stop on either side of the bank. The artefacts located in these furrows suggest an 18th-century date. In addition, a number of intrusive cuts containing stone, presumably from the banks, were excavated and clearly post-date the monument.

Following removal of the stone from the banks, the entire monument was cleaned. A large number of intrusive features were visible. These represent a number of processes—tree growth, animal burrowing, old fence lines and original pits contemporary with construction and/or use. Clusters of small circular pits were located on the bank. Many of these contained charcoal, charcoal-stained clay, flint debitage and sherds of pottery. The pottery is present in the form of broken sherds of different vessels. One sherd, which has a buff-red fabric, has chevron decoration and is clearly Early Bronze Age in date. A number of fragments of cremated human bone were located scattered across the top of the banks. A large oval pit, flanked by post-holes, was excavated in the north-east of the enclosure. This contained a charcoal-rich clay, frequent burnt stones, sparse fragments of burnt bone and a number of undecorated pottery sherds. The remainder of this pit lies under the intersection of baulks.

The enclosure bears some parallels to both the pond barrow and ring-cairn monument forms in its construction (Lynch 1979; Woodward 2000) and may form a local expression of these types. Activity involving burnt stone, charcoal-filled pits, deposition of shattered pottery fragments and token cremations is a common theme among many of these monument types. It equally has affinities with some small, unexcavated embanked enclosures such as those documented in the Lee Valley (Connolly and Condit 1998). Its significance will probably change in the context of excavations in the area. Its position between the cluster of monuments suggests interesting possibilities, which will require further exploration in the post-excavation phase.

Excavation is continuing into 2001.

Site 36E
Four 10m x 10m squares were opened over a topographical anomaly. A large granite outcrop was located underneath a layer of post-medieval clearance material. This low outcrop was orientated north-east/south-west (the same axis as the wedge tomb). Impressions of wooden wedges show quarrying of unknown date. Owing to slippage of artefacts from all periods through cavities in the rock, it was not possible reliably to date this quarrying. However, it seems very likely that some of the quarrying was carried out for the wedge tomb. A number of sherds of probable Early Bronze Age pottery were located close to the rock outcrop under the clearance material.

Modern and medieval ploughing penetrating up to 0.5m below sod level was seen through artefact distributions. The ploughsoil overlies a thin layer of mottled grey-brown, sandy clay, which contained no artefacts. Two patches of red burnt clay on the surface of this layer in the two easterly cuttings may represent highly truncated hearth sites. This overlay natural, unaltered, grey-brown boulder clay. A number of features have been located cut into natural in the north-western cutting. A linear feature, 0.9m in diameter and 0.12m in depth, filled with light brown, sandy clay with frequent charcoal flecks, was uncovered running north–south in the extreme east of the cutting. This was probably a plough furrow. To the west of this a subcircular pit with irregular base and charcoal-rich fill was located. This contained a number of struck flint flakes. The latter feature is probably prehistoric, and bulk samples are being retained. The remainder of the area has been cleared to natural bedrock and scree. A rectangular pit was located to the east of the rock outcrop and was filled with stone and loose, mid-brown soil. It contained sherds of blackware and a copper-alloy button and was of probable 18th-century date.

In the south-eastern cutting a low bank 3m in diameter was uncovered running south-east from the clearance cairn. This appears to be entirely composed of ploughsoil and is not on any maps of the area. It is clear from topographical survey that this runs across the field, connecting with an existing field boundary outside the archaeological area. The modern cultivation furrows run at odds with this feature and cross it in places. It is possible that it represents a medieval or post-medieval plough headland. The area has now been cleared to natural soil.

Site 23
Site 23 is the name given to the area north of Site 36E. It comprises two full 10m x 10m squares and portions of two others running to the edge of the road-take. It is located quite close to the wedge tomb. Following excavation of sod and ploughsoil, a rubble-built wall standing up to 0.3m in height was uncovered running south-east to north-west. In the same cutting a number of metalled patches, one containing cattle teeth and an iron horseshoe, were excavated to the east of the wall. This may represent a routeway that ran across the site from Tully Lane close to the wedge tomb. This is depicted on Rocque’s 1760 map of the area. Both these features were located on the surface of a grey-brown, sandy clay that has been located throughout the field. A patch of red burnt clay was also recorded on the surface of this layer. A considerable number of relatively evenly spaced plough furrows were recorded below the ploughsoil and cut the light grey-brown subsoil. Artefacts found within them suggest that they probably date to the 18th century. A finely polished, broken stone axe with pecking on its sides, possibly of dolerite, was found on the subsoil.

Haul route
A substantial number of features were uncovered during machine-assisted archaeological mitigation on the haul route both in Glebe and Laughanstown townlands. These were investigated following consultation with Dúchas The Heritage Service. Most of these were linear drainage courses of relatively recent date or sterile, orange, silty patches in natural soil, which probably represent tree-root cavities. There were two small pits containing charcoal-rich soil and no artefacts.

References
Connolly, M. and Condit, T. 1998 Ritual enclosures in the Lee Valley, Co. Kerry. Archaeology Ireland 12 (4), 8–12.
Lynch, F. 1979 Ring cairns in Britain and Ireland: their design and purpose. Ulster Journal of Archaeology 42, 1–19.
Murray, K. 1945 Loughlinstown camp. Dublin Historical Record 1, 22–34.
Woodward, A. 2000 British barrows: A matter of life and death. Stroud.

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