County: Wicklow Site name: Powerscourt Demesne
Sites and Monuments Record No.: n/a Licence number: 18E0045
Author: Muireann Ní Cheallacháín
Site type: Probable barrow
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 721090m, N 717355m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.192841, -6.187887
A second phase of test trenching was undertaken at the site of a proposed residential development at Powerscourt Demesne, Parknasillogue, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow. The initial programme of testing, undertaken in March 2018 by Rob Lynch under licence 18E0045, targeted the whole of the proposed development area. This followed on from a geophysical survey undertaken by Joanna Leigh in January 2018 (Licence 18R0026).
Initial testing involved the excavation of 472 linear metres of trenches across the site. A barrow, identified in the geophysical survey, was targeted by two trenches at this time. Further testing of the barrow was requested by the National Monuments Service, and this was undertaken by Muireann Ní Cheallacháin under a reactivation of licence 18E0045 in June 2018.
The probable barrow has a diameter of 25m and is situated on the upper slope of the proposed development area with views of Bray Head to the east, the Sugar Loaf Mountain to the south-east, and Djouce mountain to the south. Testing in March 2018 revealed that the south-western part of the barrow appears to have been removed by ploughing. Two of the three ditches were identified on the north-eastern side of the site, although the outer ditch was sealed by a spread of archaeological material. The inner ditch was found to have a depth of 0.34m, which suggests that the entire monument has been subject to some truncation due to ploughing.
A number of lithics were recovered during the first phase of testing, including a quartz core, several individual pieces of quartz and a piece of flint debitage. The items were all recovered from an archaeological spread (C7) and the fill of one of the barrow ditches.
The three ditches of the barrow were recorded in both of the phase 2 trenches. The form of the ditches varied between the trenches suggesting heavy truncation in the form of ploughing as demonstrated by the presence of a furrow (C16) in Trench 18. This is consistent with the results of the first phase of testing, which showed that the south-west quadrant of the barrow has been ploughed away. No artefacts or evidence of burial were recovered from the ditches. A sherd of post-medieval pottery was recovered from the spread C7 that overlay the middle and outer ditches in Trench 2.
No other archaeological features were identified during the course of testing of geophysical survey. Reports for both phases of testing have been submitted to NMS and contain all technical detail.
The development was granted planning permission in July 2018 (Planning Ref. 17/1300) following receipt of further information in June. Condition 24 of the grant relates to the archaeological requirements for the site. Condition 24 a) stipulates full excavation of the probably barrow in advance of any site preparation/investigation/or construction works. Condition 24 b) requires all ground disturbances associated with the development be subject to archaeological monitoring. An updated method statement for licence 18E0045 has been submitted to the NMS for approval to undertake excavation and monitoring as per the planning conditions.
IAC Ltd, Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
