County: Kildare Site name: KILRATHMURRAY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E0097
Author: Linda Clarke, ACS Ltd.
Site type: Fulacht fia
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 665977m, N 742470m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.428211, -7.007229
An assessment of this site, near a moated site and mill-race (Site 30) and an enclosure and mill-race (Site 31; SMR 1:3 and 1:1), was carried out before the construction of the M4 Kinnegad–Enfield–Kilcock Motorway Scheme, Contract 2, on behalf of Westmeath County Council. Site 30 consisted of a bank-and-ditch arrangement showing evidence of internal subdivisions. The site was destroyed in the 1970s, as was the mill-race in the vicinity. Present-day aerial photography shows evidence of the enclosure and mill-race only. Site 31 was also destroyed in the 1970s, and present-day aerial photography shows evidence of the enclosure only.
A total of 21 test-trenches were excavated in the area of the proposed motorway near both sites. A trench was excavated along the centre-line of the road, and twenty further trenches were excavated at various intervals at right angles to the centre-line trench. Two ditches were exposed toward the centre of the field. The position of these ditches is similar to that of field boundaries depicted on the 1837 and 1911 OS maps. A series of furrows was also exposed toward the centre of the field. These were more concentrated on the top of a small ridge but extended toward the south-eastern corner of the field. Most were aligned north–south, in the same direction as the modern cultivation furrows and the existing field boundary. A cluster of features, initially identified as possible pits and post-holes, was exposed on the top of this small ridge. These features were filled with a compact, sterile, orange clay, but further investigation proved them to be natural anomalies. A number of shallow, linear field drains were also exposed throughout this site.
Two features of archaeological interest were, however, exposed within this site: a small, heavily truncated, burnt stone spread measuring 2m by 2.5m was exposed in Trenches 1 and 2; and a small, charcoal/grey, sticky spread measuring 1m by 1.4m was revealed in Trench 9. This site was excavated as Kilrathmurray 2 (No. 945, Excavations 2002, 02E1086).
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
