County: Dublin Site name: Blackcourt Road, Corduff (Castleknock By.), Blanchardstown
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DU013-025 Licence number: 19E0512
Author: Stuart D. Elder on behalf of Judith Carroll and Company
Site type: 16th/17th-century house
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 707972m, N 740013m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.399211, -6.376405
Archaeological testing was undertaken at a site at Blackcourt Road, Corduff, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. Testing took place on 22 and 23 July 2019, and was carried out in order to establish the presence or absence of material remains relating to the nearby RMP Site of Corduff House (DU015-025) dating to the 16th/17th centuries.
A series of five trial trenches was excavated using an 8-tonne mechanical excavator with toothless bucket. The trenches were excavated to the depth of subsoil, which varied greatly across the available site area.
For the most part, nothing of archaeological significance was noted during the excavation of the trenches, with the exception of Trench 3(N), and Trench 4. In Trench 3, an area of cobbles was noted, which may correspond to a roadway or track noted on historical maps. At the most southerly end of Trench 4, a possible cess-pit was noted to the south-east of the cobbled area.
The 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map depicts a rectangular dwelling some 115m to the north-west of the location of Corduff House marked on the later maps, and which may represent an earlier estate house of more modest appointment.
Although traces of building materials (including red brick and slate) were noted throughout, there were no obvious physical remains of structures. It is reasonable to suggest therefore, that all subsurface traces have been removed by past development and landscaping works.
Gurteen Cottage, Gurteen, Kilmichael, Macroom, Co. Cork
