2001:657 - LEIXLIP: 6 The Mall, Kildare

Testing was a condition of planning permission for the site of a proposed office extension to the rear of existing premises on the Main Street. The site lies within the zone of archaeological potential for the medieval town of Leixlip. Three test-trenches were excavated on the site between 23 and 27 July 2001. Trenches 1 and 2 were situated in the area of the extension and Trench 3 in the location of the soak-pit. As it was not possible for a mechanical digger to gain access to the site, the trenches were excavated by hand.

A consistent stratigraphy was revealed across the site. Layer 1 was 0.23–0.4m deep and composed of dark brown to black soft clayey silt. It contained frequent sherds of modern and post-medieval pottery, a number of animal bones (the majority of which were cut or butchered), clay tobacco pipe fragments, metal objects, glass sherds and bottles. This overlay Layer 2, which reached depths of 0.28–0.68m and consisted of a medium brown soft clayey silt. It contained moderate quantities of post-medieval ceramics, animal bones and glass. Layers 1 and 2 were both deeper to the south of the site near the upstanding building. Layer 3 was a light brown hard stony clay. Some 17th-century pottery was retrieved from this layer, and an antler comb from Trench 1 might be medieval in date. The trenches were not excavated to a greater depth than 1m and therefore the lower horizon of Layer 3 was not reached in Trenches 1 and 2. A sondage at the base of Trench 1 showed it to reach a depth of 0.69m. Underlying this, loose gravel and large rocks may have represented natural bedrock. The northern end of Trench 3 revealed a medieval layer underlying Layer 3. This was only excavated to a maximum depth of 0.2m and its full depth and extent was not ascertained. It was comprised of orange soft silty clay with occasional charcoal flecks. Eight sherds of medieval pottery, which appeared to be local ware, were found within this layer. Three of the sherds were possible cooking ware and three were green glazed and decorated.

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