2000:0458 - ARDREE, Kildare

Pre-road development excavation of a medieval rural settlement and associated graveyard at Ardree, Co. Kildare, commenced on 10 July 2000. Work is ongoing and expected to continue well into 2001. The site was initially tested in April 2000 by Matthew Seaver (see Excavations 2000, No. 457), using the same excavation number, which was then transferred to the excavation phase of works.

The site lies 1.8km south of Athy, on the Athy–Carlow road, and occupies a stretch of land measuring c. 350m north–south by c. 17–20m. It is divided into three cuttings by modern field boundaries.

The most northerly field lies immediately east of a walled graveyard. This wall may have been constructed in the 1800s. However, the graveyard originally extended to the east, into the line of the proposed road-take. To date, c. 50 human burials have been excavated, with potentially another 250–300 still to be excavated. Only the final phase of burials has been dealt with so far. Associated with these was a Charles I Lennox ‘oval’ copper farthing, dating to 1625–42, suggesting that burial continued in this area into the mid-1600s. The remaining earlier burials are clearly multi-phase and potentially medieval in date.

The field south of the graveyard has been partially investigated. To date, an area measuring 40m north–south by 17–20m has been excavated. This has produced evidence of substantial medieval activity. Four phases of activity have been noted from this area.

Phase 1
A large ditch, c. 2m wide and c. 1.5m deep, ran east–west across the site (F233). This may link up with a ditch that was noted during monitoring of the digging of two service trenches across the main Athy–Carlow road and a minor road to the east in 1995 (Patrick Neary, pers. comm.). If so, it would have enclosed a very substantial area. Unfortunately, no datable finds were recovered from the ditch fill. Another ditch lay c. 10m to the south (F160). This also ran east–west but was narrower (1.5m) and shallower (0.75–1m) than F233. F160 contained a piece of a lignite bracelet, which may suggest that the ditches pre-date the medieval activity.

Phase 2
The ditch F233 was clearly filled in and sealed by Phase 2, as a house structure (A) was constructed on top of it. This was rectangular and of post- and stake-hole construction. A large pit (F279) containing the remains of a horse or pony may also date to this phase. Sherds of medieval pottery were associated with this activity.

Phase 3
This also dates to the medieval period but represents a later, more substantial phase of medieval settlement. Two further house structures were observed. Structure B lay immediately west of Structure A. Structure C lay south of this and sealed the earlier horse/pony pit, F279. Both were of clay daub-and-wattle construction and had been destroyed by fire. Structure C contained fragments of carbonised grain (possibly corn) and may have been a grain store. Structure B contained two industrial kilns or furnaces, although their function was unclear.

Finds from the structures included two iron arrowheads, an iron axehead, iron nails, and numerous medieval pottery sherds, mainly local glazed wares and Leinster cooking ware. A burnt coin was recovered from Structure B. This had a very similar diameter to a Henry III long cross silver penny found nearby on the site. This dates to 1247–72. An Edward I silver halfpenny was also found close to Structure B. This dates to 1272–1307. A late 13th-century date, therefore, may be assigned to this phase.

Further activity belonging to this phase included evidence for corn-drying and -grinding. A badly disturbed and burnt stone-lined pit with associated flue was uncovered. Half of a granite quernstone was lying nearby. A corn-drying kiln was uncovered during the test-trenching phase; this is yet to be excavated. Another potential kiln has also been identified. In addition, several large, heavy-duty needles and a medieval thimble have also been found; these may have been used for activities such as sack-making (perhaps for holding the grain or flour?). There is, therefore, considerable evidence of a medieval corn/grain-producing industry on the site.

Phase 4
This consists of post-medieval ploughing activity. To date, it has not been possible to tie any of the ploughing activity to the medieval period. The final field to the south has been stripped of topsoil but has yet to be excavated. Initial inspection has yielded several sherds of medieval pottery, but there does not appear to be the large-scale medieval activity noted in the other two fields.

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