County: Dublin Site name: Barrington's Tower, Brenanstown
Sites and Monuments Record No.: n/a Licence number: 17E0181
Author: David McIlreavy, IAC
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 722572m, N 724209m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.254068, -6.163088
Pre-planning test trenching was undertaken in April 2018 at the site of Barrington’s Tower off the Brenanstown Road in Dublin 18 to inform impact assessment of a proposed residential development. It follows a previous geophysical survey which was carried out by J.M. Leigh Surveys in May 2017 (Licence 17R0084). The test area comprises the former grounds associated with Barrington’s Tower bordered to the north by the Brenanstown Road and to the south by the Luas and the Carrickmines Stream. The land slopes to the south with far-reaching views toward the peak of Ballycorous. A grassed laneway runs along the eastern site boundary leading to a private 19th-century family burial ground. While there are no recorded monuments situated within the proposed development area, the remains of a Portal Tomb, DU026-007 (Nat. Mon. 291), are situated c. 190m to the east.
At the time of construction of Barrington's Tower in 1810 it was noted that the site of a former castle was nearby, although there is no current above-ground evidence for this. The surrounding archaeological landscape is characterised by intensive settlement in the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods, and medieval occupation of Carrickmines Castle c. 500m to the west.
The results of the geophysical survey indicate significant magnetic disturbance and four small anomalies of low archaeological potential.
A total of 21 trenches were excavated across all available green space in the site, targeting any geophysical anomalies. No features of archaeological potential were present and no evidence for the possible location of a former castle site was noted at this time. It is probable that any fortifications would have been erected on high ground to the north of the site.
Given the results of the geophysical survey and testing it is concluded that there is low potential for previously unrecorded archaeological remains to survive beneath the current ground surface, outside of the investigated areas. If present, the proposed development may have an adverse impact on any archaeology within its footprint. As such it is recommended that further mitigation measures be included in the impact assessment to be submitted with the planning application .
IAC Ltd, Unit G1 Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Wicklow
