County: Wicklow Site name: The Rectory, Kilbride Road, Blessington
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 20E0301
Author: Grace Fegan, Emer Harrington & Thaddeus Breen, Shanarc Archaeology Ltd.
Site type: Testing
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 698442m, N 714487m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.171747, -6.527561
Archaeological test excavations and an associated geophysical survey were carried out during May and June 2020 at The Rectory, Kilbride Road, Blessington, Co.Wicklow, in respect of Wicklow County Council Planning Reference 20/108 relating to the proposed demolition of a 1.5 storey derelict outbuilding (within the curtilage of a protected structure) and for the construction of 45 residential units at The Rectory (RPS Ref. 05-02).
The geophysical survey at the proposed development site was undertaken by Joanna Leigh, J.M. Leigh Surveys Ltd., on behalf of Shanarc Archaeology Ltd. on 26 May 2020, in accordance with prospection consent no. 20R0089. The survey data was dominated by modern responses in the form of isolated ferrous responses and areas of magnetic disturbance.
Test-excavation was carried out on 30 June 2020. A total of 13 test trenches were machine excavated. Trenches were 2m in width, 0.35-0.8m in depth and 22-102m in length. The stratigraphy of excavated material comprised 0.35-0.8m of mid-brown silty topsoil overlying a natural orangey/grey stony clay.
Geophysical survey and test-excavation have established that there appear to be no in situ features of archaeological significance within the development site. However, the presence of medieval pottery sherds in Trenches 8 and 12 indicate that there remains a potential for medieval activity to have taken place on the site.
Unit 39A, Hebron Business Park, Hebron Road, Kilkenny
