2020:491 - Broomfield, Kinsaley and Malahide townlands, Malahide, Dublin

A pit was identified towards the northern end of the development area. It was orientated roughly north-west/south-east and measured 1.5m long x 1.1m wide.

A hearth/burnt pit was identified towards the northern end of the development area, although this feature appears to have been disturbed by ploughing activity. It was irregular in plan and measured 1.25m east/west x 0.6m. It was revealed as a spread of oxidized reddened silt with charcoal.

Test trenching revealed a probable ditch with gently regular curving sides and a slightly rounded base towards the northern end of the development area. It measured approximately 1.1m wide north-south x approximately 0.3m deep, and continued beyond the trench to the north-east and south west.

A possible ditch was recorded towards the eastern end of the development area. This feature continued beyond the trench, and consisted of a narrow linear cut which was orientated north-east/south-west and measured 0.25m wide x 0.2m deep. It was V-shaped in profile, and angular stones and cobbles which were present in the fill resembled packing material. A small amount of animal bone was also recovered from the fill.

A roughly north-south oriented linear feature, recorded towards the eastern end of the development area, took the form of a possible shallow ditch which measured 1.3m wide x 0.2m deep. The single fill contained occasional small animal bone fragments and two sherds of 18th/19th-century glazed red earthenware.

A pit, a hearth/burnt pit, and three probable shallow ditches possibly representing two badly plough-damaged enclosures were revealed as a result of carrying out the test trenching. No environmental evidence was revealed during test trenching, and no additional archaeological features or artefacts were revealed as a result of carrying out the fieldwork. With the exception of the hand-excavated sections, all archaeological features were preserved in situ.

36 Fingal Street, Dublin 8