County: Dublin Site name: CLONDALKIN: Tower Road/Old Nangor Road
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DU017-041001 and DU017-041005 Licence number: 03E1833 ext.
Author: Hilary Opie
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Medieval (AD 400-AD 1600)
ITM: E 706179m, N 731373m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.321961, -6.406252
Test-trenching was conducted at a proposed development site between Tower Road and the Old Nangor Road, Clondalkin, on 10–19 March 2004. The development site lies within the zone of archaeological potential identified by the Urban Archaeological Survey as the area occupied by a medieval settlement. Of major importance is the location of the Clondalkin Round Tower (National Monument No. 32), which is located on the southeast edge of the site, with development proposed immediately to the north and west of it. The development site also lies within the associated potential ecclesiastical enclosure.
Four structures were proposed for the site and the trenches were dug along the building foundation footprint where possible. Further test-trenches were dug along the line of the proposed service trenches. Two further trenches were excavated to the west of the round tower. Upon excavation of the trenches it was clear that the site could be divided into two distinct areas. Firstly there was a modern yard surface immediately west of the round tower. The stratigraphy here proved to be very mixed and disturbed, with modern material to a depth of over 1m with undisturbed subsoil beneath. It appears that this yard had been used for burying rubbish in recent years. The second area consisted of gardens associated with houses on the Old Nangor Road (Millview Terrace). Here the stratigraphy consisted of garden soils to a depth of 0.5m. Limited evidence for archaeological activity was noted across the site. This included the retrieval of 37 sherds of medieval pottery from all areas of the site. The pottery consisted of glazed wares and unglazed cooking wares and, although most were of local or Irish origin, there were several English imports. Most of the pottery finds were from disturbed contexts. However, one feature on the subsoil surface in the yard area may represent the remains of an in situ medieval pit or spread that contained five sherds of medieval pottery. This may suggest the slight possibility of uncovering other intact medieval features, although the garden landscaping and the use of the yard for burying rubbish appears to have disturbed and removed any archaeological features that may have existed.
103 Cherrywood Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
