2015:079 - Piper's Hill, Kildare

An early medieval round house, a souterrain and adjacent enclosure were found during topsoil stripping as part of the proposed development of 117 dwellings at Pipers Hill, Kilcullen Road, Naas, Co. Kildare. The souterrain was discovered during topsoil stripping associated with enabling works for Phase 1. The souterrain consisted of a ramped entrance, four passages including a bridging passage between passages 2 & 3, a possible guardroom and storage area near the entrance and a rectangular end chamber. The souterrain survives intact from the junction of Passages 1 and 2 through the remainder of the structure but Passage 1 and the entrance were robbed of its lintels and had been filled with collapsed earth. To the east of the souterrain a large circular enclosure measuring 33m in external diameter was exposed but not excavated with 3 additional trenches inserted to clarify the extent of the site. A number of large pits were recorded between the enclosure and the souterrain entrance and a third large pit was located at the centre of the enclosure. No entranceway was exposed but the entire circuit of the ditch has not been exposed leaving the possibility that an entrance will be located in the future. The ditch measured 2m in width and over 0.6m in depth. The development plans have been altered to allow for the preservation in situ of the souterrain but the enclosure and other pit-type features will be impacted on by the proposed internal roadway and a number of houses. It is recommended that the enclosure and surrounding features be fully excavated. The enclosure at Piper’s Hill was identified as a sub-circular ditched feature containing a dark brown fill cut into a mix of sterile clay and sandy natural gravel. It had an external diameter of 33-34m and no trace of an entrance was visible in any of the test trenches. It could be suggested, however, given the topography of the site with steep slopes to the east and south, that any entrance would be to the west facing towards the souterrain. The remains of an early medieval round house were recorded and excavated by ACSU only months prior to the souterrain’s discovery. Charcoal recovered from the primary fill of the foundation trench returned a radiocarbon date of 1590 +/- 30 BP (Cal. 400-540 AD). A circular iron lid of a vessel or similar was also recovered from within the fill.

Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit, Unit 21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co Louth