County: Kildare Site name: FONTSTOWN UPPER
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 31:18 Licence number: 02E0325
Author: Martin E. Byrne
Site type: Ringfort - unclassified
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 674232m, N 700258m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.047823, -6.892872
Testing was undertaken at a ‘ringfort site’ in the townland of Fontstown Upper, Co. Kildare. The testing was carried out as part of pre-construction works associated with the proposed South Kildare Water-Supply Scheme.
The monument is marked on the OS 6-inch maps as being partially intact on its eastern side, with the remainder having been destroyed by the existing Kilcullen–Athy Road (N78). There are now no visible traces of the monument.
Two trenches were excavated by machine through the existing grass margin in an attempt to uncover evidence of an enclosing fosse. Disturbance, 0.6m deep, associated with the laying of service ducts was uncovered, and the trenches were excavated to a depth of 1.2m. No evidence of a fosse or any other feature of archaeological interest was uncovered.
31 Millford, Athgarvan, Co. Kildare
