County: Kildare Site name: MOORETOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E0347
Author: Ros Ó Maoldúin, Valerie J. Keeley Ltd.
Site type: Designed landscape - avenue
Period/Dating: Post Medieval (AD 1600-AD 1750)
ITM: E 669463m, N 711660m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.150916, -6.961519
Excavation was conducted here in April 2002. This site was identified as an anomalous topographical feature before topsoil-stripping on an area of associated works adjacent to the route of the Kildare Bypass. The site was on the eastern side of a small road leading north to Cherryville crossroads. A feature resembling a tree-lined avenue was situated on the western side of the road.
The excavation revealed three banks and two intersecting fosses. The earliest bank and associated fosse curved, forming an arc, which was interrupted by the later, straight, bank and fosse. A fragment of corroded spoon, probably of 18th-century origin, was recovered from the lower contexts of the earliest bank. It was concluded that the earlier bank and fosse were associated with a post-medieval avenue leading to Mooretown House and that the later bank and fosse were the result of relatively modern drainage works.
This project was financed by the National Roads Authority through Kildare County Council.
Brehon House, Kilkenny Road, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny
