2009:294 - CARRICKMINES, Dublin

The assessment was carried out on behalf of Park Developments Ltd, Carrickmines, Dublin. A single test-trench was cut to identify a bank and ditch believed to be the Pale boundary DU026–115. The test-trench was carried out over two days and completed on 15 May 2009.

The site had been the subject of an EIS carried out by Margaret Gowen Ltd which identified what it believed to be the Pale Boundary corresponding to DU026–115. The monument appears as a high bank with ditch on either side and can be best observed at the rear of the recycling depot of D*n Laoghaire/ Rathdown County Council on the Ballyogan Road.
In the case of this site, only one ditch can be seen at present, at the southern side of the bank. The test-trench exposed this outer ditch and a portion of the bank, or earthen rampart, a continuation of DU026–115. A walking survey of the area also identified a limited extent of drystone coursing on another portion of the bank, which appeared to be the base of a revetment.
After the removal of an accumulation of several boulders in the vicinity of the bank, a flat surface of sterile sandy clay was exposed. The test-trench cut through a shallow ditch and a bank of earth, rising 1.5m above the surface of the clay. Once the bank was exposed, no further excavation took place. The cut indicated that the surface of the bank at 76.53m OD lay some 1.4m above the surface of the outer ditch at 75.13m OD. The bank comprised a series of clay deposits that appear to have been laid contemporaneously. Examination of the clays demonstrated their distinct characteristics. The lower surface of small to medium-sized stones forms the base of the bank. It was overlaid by loose uncompacted light-brown sandy clay which appears to be sterile. Above this is light-brown moist sticky sandy clay, which is in turn overlain by a brown loose friable clay with few stones. The surface comprised compacted small stones, corroborating the suggestion that the bank served as a laneway.
The base of the ditch lies some 0.5m below the modern surface of topsoil and is 1.7m at its widest point. The base has a flat surface of 0.6m, and is cut through light-brown friable sandy clay. This has been overlaid by a topsoil layer and humus. The sandy clay is likely to have been entirely natural, and is similar in characteristics to the sandy clay towards the base of the bank. The surface of these clays therefore is likely to have formed the surface from which the ditch and bank were constructed. The outer edge of the bank was much disturbed by root action, creating an outer surface of loose sandy clay. There were no finds observed in the section of the bank.