2002:0927 - KILLICKAWEENY (Site 17), Kildare

An excavation was carried out at Site 17, Killickaweeny, Co. Kildare, before the proposed M4 Kinnegad–Enfield–Kilcock road development. This was identified during site-specific testing of Site AE25, described in the environmental impact statement as a series of cultivation ridges and linear features. The linear features formed three sides of an octagon, and it was suggested that they may be the remains of ditches, possibly of an enclosure, or drainage features. The cultivation ridges traversed these lines, suggesting that they are not contemporaneous.

Testing of Site AE25 was carried out by Shane Delaney (see No. 931, Excavations 2002, 02E0137). Site 17 was revealed, during testing at the western end of AE25, as a burnt spread sealing a charcoal-rich spread, which covered an area of c. 3.4m (east–west) by 2.2m. Both spreads contained fragments of burnt bone.

It was recommended that the area of archaeological potential at Site 17 be fully excavated before construction works. The excavation took place from 7 to 16 August 2002. Topsoil was stripped from an area measuring 20m by 20m using a mechanical digger fitted with a toothless bucket.

A large drain/field boundary extended east–west across the centre of the site. A trench was manually excavated across the line of this feature. The remainder of the feature was not excavated as it was deemed not to be of archaeological significance and had been identified in several of the previous test-trenches.

To the north of the ditch, a number of small areas of burning and a possible stone hearth/pit were identified, along with some possible post-holes and gullies. These possible post-holes did not form any definite shape, and excavation of the features revealed little of significant archaeological interest, with most of the potential post-holes representing geological rather than archaeological material and/or stone sockets.

The small stone hearth was the main feature of archaeological interest. It was roughly circular and consisted of sub-rounded stones/cobbles set into the natural subsoil. The gaps between the stones were filled with grey/brown sandy clay. The stones probably formed a surface for a small hearth, although there was little evidence of in situ burning in the area immediately around them. There was a general spread of charcoal flecking over an area of c. 2m around the feature.

There was no evidence of structural remains associated with the hearth, and it is probably associated with a small, localised fire.

It is possible that these ephemeral archaeological deposits extend to the north of the site. The northern field boundary lay only 3–4m to the north of the site, and the parallel east–west ditch/drain was 2m to the south. It was felt that these features were not significant enough to warrant extending the area of excavation, particularly so close to areas of significant disturbance.

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