County: Wicklow Site name: Newtownmountkennedy
Sites and Monuments Record No.: n/a Licence number: 18E0457
Author: Liza Kavanagh
Site type: Burnt mound
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 725892m, N 706114m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.090756, -6.120481
Excavations at Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow were carried out in advance of a large residential and mixed use development. Further topsoil stripping will follow during additional phases of the build. Monitoring was required during ground works associated with Phase 4 of the ongoing development as determined by Wicklow County Council (Planning Ref.: 06/6101) and An Bord Pleanála (PL27.227704). The identification of archaeological features resulted in the excavations reported on here. The work was undertaken on behalf of Tower Homes.
The site comprised the remains of a burnt mound spread, two pits, a wood-lined trough and an L-shaped feature. The burnt mound spread consisted of twelve distinct deposits, spread over an area 12.8m by 12m, along the steeply sloping gradient of hillside pasture, approaching a stream to the north. Cut into the subsoil and sealed beneath the burnt mound deposits were the remains of an irregular shaped pit truncated by an L-shaped feature. A second irregular pit truncated the L-shaped feature, before it too was truncated by a wood-lined trough. The latter pit and the trough were both filled with the same black charcoal-rich silty clay and frequent burnt stone deposit, indicating some contemporary use. A number of drainage features were noted throughout the site, with three directly impacting upon the deposits and features that related to the burnt mound activity.
c/o IAC Ltd, Unit G1 Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
