County: Wicklow Site name: CHARLESLAND (Site I)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: WI013-072---- Licence number: 03E1188
Author: Bernice Molloy, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: Pit
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 729662m, N 710771m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.131684, -6.062351
This site was exposed during monitoring of topsoil-stripping prior to the construction of a dual carriageway between the R671 and Greystones. The road is part of a larger residential and industrial development planned for the area. Monitoring commenced in December 2002. Fourteen sites have been excavated to date. Excavation of Site I took place in August 2003.
Site I was located in a low-lying area at the base of a gradual west-facing slope. Topsoil-stripping exposed two areas with archaeological deposits, Trenches A and B. Trench A measured 20m (north-south) by 8m. Trench B measured 5m by 5m.
Two spreads were identified in Trench A, consisting of black silty clay with much charcoal. A circular pit was also identified which contained up to 75% slag. The edges of the pit are slightly fire-reddened, but not enough to indicate the intense burning associated with smelting.
One pit was identified in Trench B. It measured 2.77m (east-west) by 2m and had a maximum depth of 0.54m. It had a sharp break of the slope at the top and an irregular concave base. The pit had three fills and contained a large quantity of crushed quartz. One fragment of struck flint and a possible flint core were retrieved from this pit.
2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin
