County: Kildare Site name: Barnhall, Leixlip
Sites and Monuments Record No.: n/a Licence number: 17E0333
Author: Aidan O’Connell
Site type: Ringfort
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 699153m, N 735745m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.362597, -6.510305
An archaeological assessment was carried out at the site of a proposed development at lands in Barnhall, Leixlip, Co. Kildare. The site covers an approximate area of 19ha and is surrounded by residential developments to the north, east and west. To the south the lands are bounded by the gardens surrounding The Wonderful Barn Complex and beyond that by the M4 Motorway.
A geophysical survey of the site was carried out followed by targeted test trenching. Geophysical survey indicated the presence of a circular ditched enclosure, 40m in diameter and located at the north of the site.
Test trenching subsequently targeted geophysical anomalies and extended across the remainder of the site. A total of 28 trenches were mechanically excavated across the site. The presence of the circular enclosure was confirmed. The complete enclosure appears to be roughly 40m wide and extends slightly beyond the north-western limit of the site. The curvilinear ditch was c. 2-3m wide. A box section excavated through the ditch had dimensions of 2m wide by 1.38m deep. The ditch was filled with a friable mid brown/yellow silty clay with occasional animal bone and small-medium sized stones. It is interpreted as a possible early medieval ringfort. Numerous additional ditches were recorded to the east of the enclosure in an adjoining field.
Archer Heritage Planning, 8 Beat Centre, Stephenstown, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin.
