County: Kildare Site name: KILL
Sites and Monuments Record No.: KD019-008001, KD019-010, KD019-056 and KD020-001 Licence number: 05E1220
Author: John Kavanagh, National Archaeological Services Ltd, Ard Solas, Lackan, Blessington, Co. Wicklow.
Site type: Habitation site and Field system
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 694063m, N 722964m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.248706, -6.590531
A test excavation was carried out prior to a proposed housing development that is located close to the zone of archaeological potential of the historic village of Kill (SMR 19:8) and a motte and bailey fortification (SMR 19:56). There is an archaeological complex on the summit of Kill Hill (SMR 20:1) to the east of the development site which forms the site boundary. It is also close to the zone of archaeological potential of an enclosure site to the south (SMR 19:10).
As part of the assessment, 26 test-trenches were excavated across the site. The excavation was undertaken in November 2005 and uncovered the remains of disused field systems and several areas of potential prehistoric activity. The test excavation identified a total of 56 features across the site. Ten of these proved to be non-archaeological. An additional 39 features were the remains of disused field systems, many of which dated to the 19th and 20th centuries. Ditches, gullies, furrows and drains were found across the entire site. Several of these features may prove to be older once further investigations are carried out.
Five potential areas of prehistoric activity were uncovered during the course of the excavation. These areas are characterised by the presence of pits, stake-holes/post-holes, deposits of scorched clay and charcoal spreads. No diagnostic artefacts were recovered from any of these features, but the proximity of the remains to prehistoric sites in the fields to the east, west and possibly to the south would suggest a similar date.
