2006:668 - LAUGHANSTOWN, Dublin

Test excavations were carried out as part of a programme of targeted pre-development assessments in advance of the proposed LUAS B1 Sandyford to Cherrywood extension. Funding was provided by the Railway Procurement Agency. Testing at Laughanstown took place in September 2006. A small area of prehistoric archaeology was discovered. This site was excavated from October to December 2006 under an extension to the test excavation licence.

The site measured 62m in length by 21m in width; additional test-trenches to the south brought the area of excavation to c.1350m. The excavation revealed three separate phases of archaeological remains: prehistoric activity, 18th–19th-century agricultural activity and 18th–19th-century military camp activity. The early modern Laughanstown/Loughlinstown military camp (DU026–025) is located c. 60m to the east of the excavation. The remains of Tully church (DU026–023), an ecclesiastical site of possible early medieval origin, are also located c. 200m to the west of the proposed LUAS corridor.

Two possible prehistoric structures were discovered during excavation. The northern half of the site possessed a concentration of post-holes, pits and stake-holes covering an area measuring c. 25m2, centred on a shallow pit. Prehistoric pottery, flint scrapers and charcoal were recovered from the primary fill of this pit. Another possible structure located 40m away in the southern half of the site, covering an area measuring c. 25m2, was centred on two larger pits. A possible hearth stone and in situ burning on the surface of the westernmost pit related to charcoal and burnt bone in the adjacent pit, which also contained a stone axe fragment, a rubbing stone and various flint flakes throughout the upper fills. Nearby, a small possible post-hole contained a sherd of prehistoric pottery. A line of stake-holes forming a possible wind-break was orientated north–south from the northern end of the largest pit and may have been connected with the in situ burning activity.

Other possible interpretations of the features could be ritual, cooking, heating, shelter, or rubbish pits. Due to their relatively small scale and association, both possible concentrations of features may have been remains of a temporary prehistoric camp site. Further possible prehistoric evidence was discovered throughout the topsoil around the general area of the site, where a large amount of worked flint was recovered while metal detecting (licence 06R178).

Various phases of agricultural activity dating to the 18th–19th century consisted of the remains of ridge and furrow, a ‘French’ drain running across the site and a large buried granite boulder, perhaps buried to avoid breaking plough blades. During metal detection of the soil-heaps, many plough blades and other agricultural implements were discovered.

Traces were found of the historic 18th-century army camp. Four possible post-pad or foundation blocks/pits were uncovered on the southern half of the site; these may have been used to support the central pole of a tent structure frequently used in army camps. A large granite block with notches along one side was also located next to one of the post-pads and may have been part of the structure. Finds from metal detection of the spoil also suggest military activity connected with the nearby army camp. Artefacts recovered included ten tokens, three buttons, two cap badges, seventeen musket balls and other military paraphernalia. The traces exposed on the excavated site may represent some sort of temporary accommodation or overspill from the main Laughanstown/Loughlinstown army camp. A geophysical survey of the area (Elliott 2006) suggested at least 40 small possible pit or post-hole anomalies and twenty ferrous concentrations randomly located across the proposed LUAS development corridor. These would seem to correspond roughly with the feature types and artefacts exposed during excavation and metal detection.

Reference
Elliot, I.S. 2006 Report on Archaeo-geophysical Survey at Laughanstown: Licence No. 06R069. CRDS Ltd. Unpublished.

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