County: Kildare Site name: MAYFIELD or BALLYNAGALLIAGH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 10E0351
Author: Martin E. Byrne and Clare Mullins, Byrne Mullins & Associates, 7 Cnoc Na Greine Square, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare.
Site type: Pits
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 666066m, N 711004m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.145455, -7.012435
Monitoring undertaken in August/September 2010 with respect to the construction of a motorway service area on the southern side of the M7 motorway (Junction 14) uncovered six features of archaeological interest. Investigation of the features indicated that all were pits.
Three of the pits (F1–F3) were located along the southern side of the site. F1 was subcircular in plan (0.6m x 0.5m) with stepped edges to an irregular base and had a depth of 0.21m. F2 was also subcircular in plan (0.55m x 0.6m) with gently sloping sides to a rounded base and was up to 0.15m in depth. F3 was sub-oval in plan (0.3m x 0.4m) with the long axis aligned north-west/south-east. The edges were straight and it had a maximum depth of 0.14m. All of these pits produced varying quantities of charcoal.
The remaining pits (F4–F6) were uncovered in a group towards the northern area of the site. F4 was irregular in plan (0.45m x 0.5m maximum). The edge varied from a straight to gentle slope and it had a relatively flat base and was up to 0.1m in depth. F5 was subcircular in plan (0.48m x 0.46m) with straight oxidised edges to a slightly irregular base and was up to 0.3m in depth. F6 was subcircular in plan (0.36m x 0.4m) with oxidised relatively straight edges to a flat base and was up to 0.34m in depth. All of these pits produced quantities of charcoal and iron waste.
The charcoal has been sent for species identification and it is expected that two samples will be submitted for 14C dating. In addition, the iron waste will be submitted for specialist analysis.
