County: Dublin Site name: Unit D2, Horizon Logistics Park, Merryfalls, St. Margaret’s, Swords
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 17E0133EXT
Author: Muireann Ni Cheallachain & Fergal Murtagh
Site type: Burnt mound
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 713866m, N 742180m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.417439, -6.287036
Archaeological excavations were undertaken at Merryfalls, St. Margaret’s, Swords, Co. Dublin at the site of an extension program to Unit D2. Excavations were carried out as per planning conditions attached to the development by Fingal County Council. There are three recorded monuments within 500m of the development site. The closest of these sites is a ringfort (DU014-123) identified during geophysical survey in the Metro West Depot area. Features associated with burnt mound activity of a possible Bronze Age date were identified during archaeological testing at Site N to the south of the development.
The excavations at Unit D2, Horizon logistics Park uncovered nine pits, two troughs, a possible well or bath and two field drains. A thin layer of burnt mound material overlay much of the site and also formed many of the fills within the various pits.
An isolated cluster of four pits and one trough were located to the west of the site, with the remaining pits and trough found to the north-east and south-east of it, sealed by the burnt mound spread. It is possible that two of the pits located under the burnt mound might be formed naturally.
The well or bath, a large pit and one of the troughs were dated very consistently to the Early Bronze Age. A possible set of wooden steps were identified at the base of the well/bath that were identified as ash. Charcoal analysis carried out on the fills of some of the pits and troughs identified very comparable assemblages and showed that two different types of local woodlands were being exploited for fuel at this site: dry woodlands and wet, riparian woodlands, the latter being commonly associated with burnt mound sites.
Two post-medieval or modern drainage ditches, running east-west and north-south, cut through several pits as well as the spread.
The site at Horizon D2 is an important site locally as it represents a significant addition to the evidence for prehistoric activity in the area. It is however also potentially of regional significance based on the Early Bronze Age nature of the burnt mound activity identified at the site which has indicated possible use of the site as a bathing place.
c/o IAC Ltd, Unit G1 Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
