County: Kildare Site name: NURNEY DEMESNE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 09E0459
Author: Martin E. Byrne, Byrne Mullins & Associates, 7 Cnoc na Greine Square, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 671326m, N 705060m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.091368, -6.935145
Testing was undertaken at the site of a proposed quarry extension in compliance with a request for further information issued by the planning authority. There is an enclosure site (KD027–029) located c. 20m outside the western boundary of the development area, for which there are no surface traces, while historic research indicates that the present Nurney House, located c. 100m to the northeast, may be constructed on the site of a former tower-house which was fortified by the Sarsfield family in 1641. No surface traces of archaeological interest/potential were noted by an examination of aerial photographs or by a subsequent programme of surface reconnaissance survey.
Part of the proposed development lands were under crops at the time of testing. Consequently, only ten trenches were excavated by machine fitted with a toothless ditching bucket. No features of archaeological interest were uncovered and seven pieces of unstruck flint and a flint nodule were recovered from the topsoil.
