County: Kildare Site name: 'SPRINGBANK', Pollardstown
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 23:76 Licence number: 01E0880
Author: Martin E. Byrne
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 675877m, N 714514m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.175689, -6.864979
Testing was undertaken at a proposed development site at ‘Springbank’, Pollardstown, on 1 September.
The southern boundary forms an edge of an area of archaeological potential of an archaeological complex. In essence, the entire area of the Curragh Plains has been designated a Recorded Monument and includes numerous individual archaeological sites such as a linear earthwork known as the ‘Race of the Black Pig’ (SMR 23:37) and ring-ditches (e.g. SMR 23:38) located to the south-west of the development site.
Furthermore, the ditch-like feature at the external base of the southern boundary is most likely the remains of the ha-ha which surrounds much of the Curragh Plains. This feature, which is a sunken boundary or ditch, is thought to be an 18th-century construction.
Fourteen test-trenches were excavated by machine. All were c. 1.6m wide and were excavated to a depth that would allow confirmation of the fact that the basal layer was an undisturbed ‘natural’ subsoil.
In general, the stratigraphy uncovered in all the trenches was broadly similar. In all cases the topsoil, which was up to 0.21m thick, lay directly upon a moderately compact clay layer with frequent inclusions of pebbles and moderate cobbles. This latter was investigated to a maximum depth of 0.5m and its sterile and undisturbed nature indicated that it was the natural undisturbed subsoil.
No features or finds of archaeological interest were uncovered.
31 Millford, Athgarvan, Co. Kildare
