County: Dublin Site name: STEPHENSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DU005-003–4 Licence number: 05E0098
Author: Emma Devine, for Mary Henry Archaeological Services Ltd.
Site type: Structure
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 719061m, N 762511m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.598913, -6.201201
Monitoring was carried out on 8–10 February 2005 on electricity pylons AM 72 and IM 71 at Stephenstown, Co. Dublin. Archaeological remains were uncovered during the stripping of topsoil at the north-western leg of pylon AM72. Excavation was required to record the archaeology that would be impacted upon by the leg of this pylon.
Stephenstown townland is located south-west of the village of Balrothery in north County Dublin in heavily cultivated agricultural land. The immediate surrounds of the site had been quarried for gravel in the 1990s, disturbing a limestone souterrain, the remains of which can just be seen today. A holy well and the site of a castle are located in close proximity to the site of pylon AM72.
The area was excavated by machine to subsoil, a light- to mid-brown clayey gravel with many medium-sized stones and occasional pieces of decayed limestone, at 0.4m depth. Feature 003 was instantly recognisable, due to the dark colour of the deposit, and because of its presence a wider area was opened up around this leg. Due to the location of the archaeological features directly beneath this leg, excavation was the only option. A hearth and three post-holes were uncovered and may tentatively be interpreted as a circular structure. All post-holes had silted up naturally after the posts had been removed. Two of them, 014 and 015, were remarkably similar in morphology and fill and the packing stones used were almost identical. However, 007 was quite different, tapering to a blunt point and containing slim slivers of stone for packing. It is more likely to be a stake-hole, to perhaps provide additional support to a roof.
Whether the structure is prehistoric or related to the Early Christian souterrain activity nearby is yet to be ascertained.
17 Staunton Row, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
