County: Kildare Site name: CASTLEDERMOT
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 40:2 Licence number: 05E0673
Author: Áine Richardson, Eachtra Archaeological Projects, Ballycurreen Industrial Estate, Kinsale Road, Cork.
Site type: Urban
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 677530m, N 684857m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.908961, -6.847381
Kildare County Council is upgrading the sewerage system in Castledermot, a town with extensive archaeological remains. Previous assessments were carried out on the proposed route of the scheme. These led to a decision to excavate the line of the proposed pipe trench in the area of the medieval town in advance of commencement of construction works. This was carried out in 2004 (Excavations 2004, No. 806, 04E0750). The trench was then backfilled to be opened at a future date for the insertion of the sewerage pipes.
It was agreed with the DoEHLG that three specific locations on the line of the excavated pipe trench within the medieval town would be monitored. The areas included the area of the cemetery east of the friary, the walls at the postulated location of Tullow Gate and the area of Market Square. No further burials were recorded in the area of the cemetery. No additional structures were recorded at the location of Tullow Gate. It had been the intention of Kildare County Council to lay the pipe beneath the wall (C.269) at Market Square. This was not possible for engineering reasons, as the bonding of the wall was not coherent or stable. The wall was recorded and a section was removed to allow for the insertion of the pipe.
In addition, monitoring of ground-disturbance work in the fields south of the River Lerr was undertaken. Monitoring of sections of the route of the rising main to the north of the medieval zone of Castledermot was undertaken on an intermittent basis. No archaeological stratigraphy or artefacts were recorded.
