County: Kildare Site name: CASTLEDERMOT: St Johns
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0047
Author: Martin E. Byrne
Site type: Historic town
Period/Dating: Medieval (AD 400-AD 1600)
ITM: E 678141m, N 686582m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.924378, -6.837886
An archaeological evaluation was undertaken at a development site at St Johns, Castledermot, Co. Kildare, on 5 February 2000. The work was undertaken in compliance with conditions included in grants of planning in relation to the construction of thirty houses and a sewage treatment plant on the site.
The development site lies on the northern side of the town and on the eastern side of Main Street/Dublin Road. On the western side of this road, and almost immediately across from the site, is a stone tower, the only extant remains of the Fratres Cruciferi hospital of St John the Baptist, which may date to the 13th century. In addition, St John’s Holy Well (SMR 38:53) lies to the north of the site. Outside the town walls, part of the site lies within the zone of archaeological potential, as defined by Bradley et al. (1987).
Eight trenches were excavated by machine, after which the sections were cleaned by hand. No features, structures or deposits of archaeological interest were uncovered, although thirteen pottery sherds of medieval/post-medieval date were recovered. Given the relative paucity of pottery when compared with the amount of testing, combined with the absence of any other material of interest, it was suggested that no further archaeological involvement was required at the site.
Reference
Bradley, J. et al. 1987 Urban Archaeology Survey. Part VII (i). County Kildare. Unpublished report, OPW.
31 Millford, Athgarvan, Co. Kildare
