County: Kildare Site name: Longtown Demense
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 07E1181
Author: James Kyle, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120b Greenpark Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Site type: Post-medieval
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 685442m, N 726028m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.277687, -6.718852
Excavation was carried out at Longtown Demesne, Clane, after a programme of monitoring was undertaken at the site of a proposed veterinary research facility, on a c. 121ha site. The excavation took place on 14 and 15 January 2008.
Two areas of archaeological activity were identified within the area of proposed development. Area A was located within the footprint of the proposed development to the north-west of Longtown House. Here, five pits were identified, which were aligned north-west/south-east. Area B contained the second area of archaeological significance but this was recorded in situ as the development would not impact on the remains. Area B is located to the west of Longtown House and south-west of Area A. The pits in Area A were found to be severely truncated by modern activity and contained similar charcoal-rich mixed fills, one of which produced a clay pipe. The burnt clay pockets were evidence of burning however this was not in situ but deposited from elsewhere. Due to the lack of datable material and the poor nature of the features, it was impossible to suggest a date or function for these pits but they may represent post-medieval field clearance.
