County: Dublin Site name: Stephenstown
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 07E0836 ext.
Author: Helen Kavanagh, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Site type: Possible monastic enclosure
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 719675m, N 761620m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.590772, -6.192273
Testing was undertaken in advance of the Phase 5 Balbriggan outer relief road, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin. Part of the distribution road was routed directly through the RMP constraint for DU005–052, which is classed as a souterrain and enclosure site. Test-trenching was undertaken in October and November 2007 by Fintan Walsh (see No. 445 above). Geophysical survey of the route and lands in the vicinity of the proposed road revealed a large possible monastic site, with a double-ditched interior enclosure, associated field systems and an exterior outer enclosing ditch (geophysical licence 07R0158). The majority of this geophysical enclosure lay outside the limits of the road development; however, the outer ditch extended into the wayleave of the proposed road. The ditch was identified during the testing programme with a 50m length of the outer ditch to be impacted on by the proposed road and associated drainage. As a result, an extension to the original licence was obtained to excavate the area to be impacted on, which measures c. 90m south-east/north-west by 30m. It is projected that c. 30–40m of the associated internal ditch will be impacted upon by the proposed road. Excavation commenced during December 2007 and is ongoing during 2008. As a result, a full summary of the results of the excavation will be available in 2008.
