County: Dublin Site name: Laughanstown, Beckett Park AA 1-4
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 15E0472
Author: Yvonne Whitty, IAC Ltd
Site type: Post-medieval building, pits and hearths
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 722656m, N 723668m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.249189, -6.162038
Four areas of archaeological potential were identified during advance testing of the footprint of Beckett Park (Laughanstown townland) by David McIlreavy of IAC in 2015 under licence 15E0472. Testing followed on from a geophysical survey and the results of both informed an impact assessment submitted with the planning application for the park. Excavation of features in Archaeological Areas 1-4 was undertaken by Yvonne Whitty of IAC as a condition of planning (No. 7, Planning Ref.: DZ15A/0814) in October and November 2016 under a reactivation of the licence 15E0472. Beckett Park is situated within the Cherrywood Strategic Development Zone.
AA 1 comprised the leveled remains of a post-medieval farmstead identified in the historic mapping and geophysical survey within the northern boundary of the park. It was represented by a cobbled surface and wall footings. Several pits of unknown function, furrows and spreads of burnt material were also recorded scattered throughout the two fields (AA 2-4) to the south of the former farmstead. In some instances, potential features identified during testing were no longer visible, or were deemed non-archaeological in nature upon further investigation.
Post-excavation analyses are ongoing and a final report, including specialist information on dating and finds, is forthcoming.
IAC Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
