County: Kildare Site name: ARDREIGH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 06E0602
Author: Eoin Sullivan, Gort Archaeology
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 668091m, N 693188m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.985102, -6.985946
Assessment for the proposed development at Ardreigh, Athy, Co. Kildare, in a greenfield site was carried out on 28 June 2006. The assessment involved the excavation of 135m of mechanically excavated test-trenches. The proposed development shall consist of a two-storey dwelling house, a new entrance on to a public road and ancillary works. The site is located on a ridge overlooking the River Barrow, Ardreigh Island and the associated disused mills. The site slopes gently to the west from the Carlow Road and then drops away sharply to the level of the towpath associated with the canal.
The eastern portion of the site is located within the area of the medieval borough of Ardree as defined by the Urban Archaeological Survey (Bradley 1986) and the constraint area marked on the RMP for the shrunken settlement of Adreigh (KD035–032(01–05)). Previous excavations within the medieval borough of Ardree under licence 00E0156 by Matthew Seaver (Excavations 2000, No. 457) and Hilary Opie (Excavations 2000, No. 458; Excavations 2001, No. 597) have identified prehistoric, medieval and post-medieval activity. These excavations took place c. 100–200m to the south-east of the proposed development.
The footprint of the area of the proposed development was assessed on the basis of six trenches. The test-trenches revealed no features or soils of archaeological significance.
Reference
Bradley, J., Halpin, A. and King, H. 1986 Urban Archaeological Survey: County Kildare. Dublin.
Tullamore, Co. Offaly
