County: Kildare Site name: KILRATHMURRAY (1)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E1085
Author: Robert O’Hara, ACS Ltd.
Site type: House - vernacular house
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 666343m, N 743431m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.436798, -7.001522
Excavation was carried out, on behalf of Westmeath County Council, at Kilrathmurray 1, Co. Kildare, before the construction of the M4 Kinnegad– Enfield–Kilcock Motorway Scheme, Contract 2, from 6 to 13 September 2002. The excavated area was close to the site of the Battle of Clonard. A number of monuments relating to that battle survive in the landscape. These include Tyrell’s fortified mansion and Croppies’ Graves. The present bridge was built in 1831, the original having been situated c. 50m downstream. Some local historians place the tollhouse connected to this bridge at the location of the structure under discussion, while others mention thatched cottages. A structure is marked here on the 1837 OS map. This structure, though possibly built by 1837, appeared to have belonged more to the latter half of that century. The finds from the site were all relatively modern, including black-glazed ware, clay pipes and iron nails. The walls were built directly onto subsoil (mostly boulder clay but with extensive pockets of coarse grey sand in areas).
The structure was rectangular, with the north, south and east gable walls surviving intact at foundation level. The western gable was not within the limits of excavation. There were no internal dividing walls. The lack of slates or roof tiles indicates a thatched or sod roof. The front and rear walls (i.e. north and south) were stone constructions; both sides were faced (in a random, uncoursed construction), with an inner rubble core. There was no obvious evidence of an entrance through either wall, but access may have been gained through the northern wall. The eastern gable wall was constructed of clay with red-brick fragments throughout. Only the base of the wall remained intact. The western wall was probably of clay construction also. Other parts of wall remained in places, including part of an L-shaped extension/ porch made of clay and heavily mortared loose rubble. Patches of internal surfacing occurred within the structure. There were two types: a smooth metalled surface and a rougher, more uneven surface. These deposits were separated by an internal gully, perhaps suggesting an early date for the structure. The differing surfaces may indicate an internal byre.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
