2018:234 - Common, Dublin

An archaeological impact assessment including testing was carried out in response to condition no.3 of a grant of planning permission from Fingal County Council (Planning Ref. F18A/0307), in relation to a proposed alteration and extension to an existing bungalow and associated replacement septic tank, percolation area and soakaways.

The site is located in Common townland in the south-east corner of a large field, bounded by the R121 to the south and R122 to the east. St Margaret’s Golf and Country Club is located across the road to the east. The possible site of a ringfort (DU011-023001) and graveyard (DU011-023002) are recorded within the northern part of the proposed development area. DU011-023001 is recorded as a ringfort (unclassified) which was indicated as an oval area measuring c.50m north-south x 30m on the first edition OS 6-inch map (1837). DU011-023002 is recorded as a graveyard based on the information on the first edition OS map which is annotated “Kits Green supposed site of old fort or burying place”. It is not clear whether the annotation refers to the field to the west or to the suggested oval enclosure and it is argued here that the description of the graveyard in the SMR in “a small field in the north of the townland” places the site in the field to the west of the development area, which is a field in the north end of Shallon townland, rather than in Common townland. This also corresponds with a sub-surface enclosure recently indicated on aerial photography in that field (DU011-156) which could be the “old fort or burying place” referred to on the first edition OS 6-inch mapping. On the revised edition OS 6-inch mapping the townland of Common is marked with an “A” and below this, the “A” is labelled “COMMON”. If the SMR description was compiled referring to the revised 6-inch map, it is possible that Kits Green could be mistakenly described as being in the north end of Common townland.

It is also suggested here that the “oval enclosure” may not actually depict an enclosure, but instead could represent a sand pit which is indicated on the map in the field in question. There are a number of sand/gravel pits marked on the first edition OS map in the surrounding area and it is further suggested here that the depiction of the “oval enclosure” in the development area is stylistically more similar to the sand/gravel pits depicted in the wider area than to an enclosure.

Testing took place on 5 December 2018 and five trenches were excavated, testing the main elements of the proposed ground disturbance works, namely the new septic tank area, percolation trenches and soakaway trenches. No evidence of the possible ringfort or graveyard recorded in the Sites and Monuments Record was identified and no other features, finds or deposits of archaeological significance were identified.

c/o Lynwood House, Ballinteer Road, D16