2022:946 - Oldtown Demesne, Kildare
County: Kildare
Site name: Oldtown Demesne
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A
Licence number: 22E0254
Author: Martin E. Byrne
Author/Organisation Address: Byrne Mullins & Associates, 7 Cnoc na Greine Square, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare
Site type: N/A
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 689408m, N 720616m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.228407, -6.660928
A programme of Archaeological Testing was undertaken within the extent of a proposed residential development at Oldtown Demesne, Sallins Road, Naas Co. Kildare and as part of the preparation of an Archaeological Impact Assessment requested by the Planning Authority.
The subject lands are located approximately 40m south of the Zone of Archaeological Potential/Notification established for KD019-019 – Enclosure. A LiDar Image of the site indicates two conjoined circular features in the southern area; these are also visible on Google satellite imagery dating to April 2013.
A limited high resolution magnetic gradiometry survey was undertaken by Ger Dowling on the 02 March 2022 (Licence No: 22R0056) and encompassed an area measuring some 0.35ha in total size; It had been intended to survey the entire site but this was not achievable due to the extent of disturbance associated with on-going construction activities to the north of the site. Most of the geophysical anomalies detected within the site were considered to be of no archaeological interest/potential and associated with modern agricultural activities; in addition, a number of ferrous-related anomalies were detected, probably associated with such agricultural activities.
A total of ten test trenches were excavated within the extent of the available areas of the subject site. No subsurface features of archaeological interest or potential were uncovered; it is considered that the circular surface features evident in the LiDar Survey and satellite imagery may be associated with equine training activities that were previously undertaken within the overall estate lands; examination of the excavated topsoil and subsoil did not result in the recovery of any artefactual material of archaeological/historical interest. A number of modern iron objects were recovered from the topsoil, including some horse-shoe nails, screws, bolts, nuts, chain-links and staples; the presence of such ferrous material had been detected by the Geophysical Survey and no artefacts of interest were recovered by the programme of intrusive testing.