County: Kildare Site name: KILDARE BRIDGE, MAYNOOTH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 05E1090
Author: Aisling Collins, CRDS Ltd, Unit 4, Dundrum Road Business Park, Dundrum, Dublin 14.
Site type: Post-medieval
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 685083m, N 729341m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.307513, -6.723345
Monitoring and subsequent excavation was carried out here in October and November 2005 in advance of the proposed bridge redevelopment works at Kildare Bridge and its approach roads, Maynooth, Co. Kildare. The site is located on the R157 Maynooth–Dunboyne road as it crosses the River Rye. The bridge lies on the border between Counties Kildare and Meath adjacent to Carton Demesne.
The area was excavated by hand. It measured c. 42m2 and contained the remnants of a structure, possibly a house. The area monitored was located at a crossroad. It is possible that part of the building may have been destroyed during the road construction. Only the north-eastern corner was left intact. In total the site presented a north–south-running wall structure joined with an east–west-running wall. The interior of the building contained the remnants of an interior mud wall, a brick-laid fireplace and a deposit of charcoal. Pottery, clay pipes and iron objects were amongst the finds retrieved from the site.
The excavation has exposed some well-stratified ceramics and finds, mostly post-medieval, the earliest of which is 17th century in date. No clearly defined deposits dating from prior to 1700 were exposed within the site. The stone structure appears to be some sort of an outhouse or a coal-storage building. Only part of the building foundation structure was remaining.
