County: Kildare Site name: Naas Town Hall, Main Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: KD019-030 Licence number: 18E0515
Author: David Bayley, IAC Ltd
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 689221m, N 719481m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.218241, -6.664046
A programme of archaeological test trenching was carried out to study the impact of a proposed redevelopment of the Naas Town Hall, which is located on Main Street, Naas, Co. Kildare. The proposed development area is located in the townland of Naas West, parish of Naas, and barony of Naas North. The eastern boundary of the site is on the townland boundary with Naas East, Main Street North.
The site is situated within the zone of potential for the historic town of Naas (KD019-030) and the site of White Castle (KD019-030018) is located within. The existing town hall, which was formerly a gaol, is also listed within the Record of Protected Structures for Kildare (RPS NS 19-047) and the NIAH building survey (NIAH 11814041).
Four site investigation test pits were excavated in the rear yard during June 2018, which were monitored. One test trench and one test pit were excavated within the rear yard in October 2018.
The works confirmed the presence of an overburden layer within the yard area and identified the footing of a stone and mortar wall to the immediate west of the town hall structure. This is likely to be post-medieval in date and associated with the gaol or town hall. One post-medieval stone drain was identified running beneath the southern foundation of the town hall during monitoring of site investigations.
No specific features of archaeological significance were identified during the course of testing and monitoring.
IAC Ltd, Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Wicklow
