2010:296 - Stephenstown and Folkstown Little, Dublin

This site has been zoned by Fingal County Council for future industrial development, and was subdivided into eleven areas for the purposes of archaeological investigation. Areas 1–4 were excavated by Gill Mc Loughlin and James Kyle as part of the Balbriggan outer relief road, under licence numbers 08E053, 08E054 and 08E055 (Excavations 2008, Nos 459–61 and 457 respectively). Excavations at Area 1 identified activity associated with a burnt mound dated to the Bronze Age. Excavations at Areas 2 and 3 uncovered extensive settlement evidence of medieval to post-medieval date. Two structures, one possibly circular and the other subrectangular in shape, were identified at Area 4. Excavations by James Kyle at Area 5 (Excavations 2008, No. 460, 08E054 ext.) identified further medieval to post-medieval activity. Investigations by Helen Kavanagh at Area 6 (Excavations 2008, No. 492, 07E0836) intersected with the probable outer ditch of the enclosure complex identified by the geophysical survey (Nichols 2007). Material recovered from features covers a broad range, with one early date of 996–836 cal. bc (2σ) (UB12152); the remaining dates are clustered and cover the period cal. ad 673–960 (2σ) (UB12156, UB13524, UB13525). In addition investigations in this area identified three concentrations of possibly prehistoric activity. Excavations at Area 9 (08E0054 ext.) indicated a multi-period site. The earliest evidence of use of the site comprised of a small number of prehistoric features. There was then an apparent disuse of the site until the medieval period; the last phase of activity on-site was post-medieval in date. The archaeological remains in the remainder of Areas 6–7 will remain preserved in situ. This investigation focused on Areas 8, 10 and 11.
A number of different phases of activity have been identified during the excavation at Area 8, 10 and 11 in Stephenstown and Folkstown Little. The earliest activity identified was prehistoric and occurred in both Areas 8 and 11. Evidence of potential activity dating to the early medieval period was limited to Area 8 with later medieval activity identified at Areas 8, 10 and 11.
Prehistoric activity
A possible round house excavated in Area 8 conformed to the most common form of excavated Bronze Age house type in Ireland. Alder charcoal recovered from a sample taken from an internal hearth feature was radiocarbon dated to 1020–830 cal. bc (2σ) (SUERC–30615), dating the house remains to the Late Bronze Age.
Potentially prehistoric activity at Area 11 took the form of an oval-shaped pit. Some of its fills contained heat-shattered stone which may indicate that this feature may represent a trough which was originally associated with a fulacht fiadh. No associated burnt mound or spread was identified in association with this possible trough. It may be the case that subsequent activity on-site such as agricultural activity removed such a component, though it is also possible that some activity other than that associated with a fulacht fiadh is represented by this feature.
A range of lithic finds was recovered during the excavation at Areas 8, 10 and 11. These finds were largely retrieved from topsoil, clearance and within the fills of later features. The assemblage as a whole appears to be largely residual, relating to ongoing prehistoric use of the site. It is difficult to associate it directly with any of the prehistoric or possible prehistoric features. However, the general composition of the assemblage is late prehistoric (most likely Bronze Age), so is likely to be broadly contemporary with the prehistoric activities identified. The source of the flint has not been established, but the site is located 2km inland from the coast at Balbriggan, so the shoreline is a likely source.
Early medieval activity
Potential activity dating to the early medieval period was limited to Area 8 and was problematic; the dating evidence comprised residual finds – the sherd of souterrain ware from Area 8 and an annular black glass bead commonly dated to the 5th and 7th centuries ad. Area 8 was located directly to the north of the early medieval enclosure complex at Area 6 and the ditches in the south of Area 8 appeared to be aligned on the enclosure complex, possibly reflecting its northernmost extent. Although the ditches appear to align with the early medieval enclosure complex, later medieval pottery was recovered from some of the ditches in Area 8. However, this ceramic assemblage was only present in the uppermost fills, so does not provide an accurate date for their construction. Potentially the ditches could date from towards the end of the early medieval period.
Later medieval activity
The majority of features in all three areas appear to date to the high medieval period, with the main focus of activity at Area 10, where there was evidence for an organised settlement.
A metalled roadway or trackway bisected Area 10 with linear ditches located on either side; their orientation suggests that they formed part of an axial field system on a common alignment to the trackway. Evidence for settlement activity included the remains of a stone structure, located on the south side of the trackway. Activity to the north of the trackway appears to have been more agricultural in nature.
The remains of the stone structure were limited to a short section of walling on the east and south-east sides with its footprint defined by the metalled surface on to which the wall footing had been set. The finds assemblage, including a large amount of medieval pottery, a coin, a whetstone, iron objects and a lead weight, and the assessment of material recovered from the adjacent hearth feature, which included charred plant material and bone, indicate domestic habitation.
A number of metalled surfaces were recorded on the site. The areas would have provided dry working surfaces in the different areas of the site and could also reflect the locations of former structures.
A cereal-drying kiln, recorded in Area 10-A, returned a radiocarbon date placing it firmly within the high medieval period.
The assemblage of charred cereal grain recovered from a pit located within close proximity to the kiln was similar to that retrieved from the kiln indicating that the two features relate to the same phase of activity and that the pit may have been used as a place to discard waste from the kiln.
A second possible cereal-drying kiln was identified during the excavation in Area 10-B. A nearby pit, similar in morphology, revealed the presence of large cereal grain assemblage but no evidence of in situ burning.
A number of pits and a linear feature close to the two possible cereal-drying kilns were found to contain abundant quantities of charred cereal grain suggesting that activity undertaken in this part of the site during the high medieval period was related to cereal drying and processing. A curvilinear feature and associated post-holes, a mettled surface and additional components in this part of the site is likely to relate to this activity. A large L-shaped drain which appeared to demarcate this area of activity would have served to not only keep animals out but would have provided a drainage function for this part of the site.
Reference
Nichols, J. 2007 Archaeological geophysical survey of the proposed Phase 5 Balbriggan outer relief road and distribution road and industrial lands (07R11; 07E0158). Unpublished report by Target Geophysics for Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd.