2016:052 - Rathingle, Swords, Dublin

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Dublin Site name: Rathingle, Swords

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 15E0334

Author: Steven McGlade

Site type: Prehistoric activity and early medieval settlement

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 716218m, N 745849m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.449883, -6.250317

A programme of archaeological test-trenching was carried out on a proposed development site at Rathingle, Swords, Co. Dublin, Phase 9 of the Ridgewood development site. The testing programme was carried out in August 2015. No previous archaeological assessment had been carried out on the development and no RMPs are located within the townland, though the townland name does suggest the potential for an early medieval settlement. The northern portion of the site (Area A) was tested at this time as the southern part of the site was being used for storage and as a site yard. Fifteen trenches were excavated across the area with a total of 1690 linear metres of trenching completed. A total of 106 features were identified during the works, with 78 found to be agricultural drainage features or more recent ground disturbance features. Twenty of the features were identified as archaeological in nature and a further 8 related to an east-west former stream-course that ran parallel to the current site boundary, formed by the townland boundary, to the north.

Three zones of archaeological interest were identified during the testing programme: a possible unenclosed settlement area to the west, a possible small hut site or barrow to the north; and a fulacht fiadh associated with the former stream course to the north-east. The highest density of archaeology was in the zone to the west, with a number of curving, straight and intercutting ditches identified.

A second phase of testing was carried out in January 2016. A further sixteen trenches were opened in this part of the site. A number of agricultural features were identified as well as significant ground disturbance in excess of 0.6m in depth in parts. This part of the site had been used as site storage and was also used to store a large spoil-heap during earlier phases of the development, explaining part of the disturbance. Three discrete archaeological features were identified during the testing programme: a large curvilinear ditch 1m in depth and 3m in width, possibly representing an enclosure, to the south; a pair of possible slot trenches possibly representing a structure to the north of this; and part of a large key-hole shaped kiln further to the north. Subsequently the archaeological features identified in the northern part of the site were excavated in March and April 2016 under the same licence.

Aileach Archaeology, on behalf of Archaeology Plan, 32 Fitywilliam Place, Dublin 2