County: Dublin Site name: Nangor Road, Clondalkin
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DU017-037 Licence number: 19E0170
Author: Muireann Ní Cheallachain
Site type: Post-medieval structural remains
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 704513m, N 731182m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.320573, -6.431313
Monitoring was undertaken at Nangor Road, Clondalkin during construction works for the extension of an existing Gas Networks Ireland compound. It follows on from earlier testing under the same licence (2019:076). The site is located partially within the zone of notification for Nangor Castle (DU017-037) which no longer survives as an upstanding feature.
The castle was owned by John Bath in 1634, passing to the Budden family at the end of the 17th century. John Budden’s son-in-law, John Falkiner, built a country house on the site of the castle, incorporating the remains of the castle into the structure. The later building was demolished in the 1970s.
The area was found to have been highly disturbed in recent years based on the depth of overburden and the presence of concrete rafts located within the area of development.
Monitoring of the removal of the overburden and the concrete rafts within the extension area confirmed the presence of two highly disturbed metalled surfaces and foundation walls located to the south of the existing compound. The western metalled surface consisted of rounded stone of varying sizes, averaging 0.17m long by 0.07m wide. The metalled surface to the north-east was more uniform in its composition with the stones measuring c. 0.04–0.1m long by 0.03–0.1m wide. Fragments of red brick, post-medieval and modern pottery and glass were embedded into both surfaces.
Three sides of the foundation of a stone wall structure were identified to the north-east of the metalled surfaces. The possible foundation wall measured 0.5m in width and enclosed a space measuring 9m x 8m. The return wall at the north-east was completely truncated. The internal measurements of the structure were 5m north–south by 6m. The stone wall was constructed of two outer stone layers filled with a whiteish grey mortar. The walls of the structure align with an outbuilding associated with the 18th-century ‘Nangor Castle’ as depicted on the 25-inch map of 1906–9.
Monitoring of the removal of sod and the grading back of the overburden within the temporary working area revealed no features of archaeological significance.
c/o IAC Ltd, Unit G1 Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
