County: Kildare Site name: Leixlip Gate South, Kilmacredock Upper, Leixlip
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 23E0573
Author: Fergal Murtagh
Site type: Remnants of a burnt mound and possible associated trough
Period/Dating: Bronze Age (2200 BC-801 BC)
ITM: E 697907m, N 735538m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.360969, -6.529083
Archaeological testing was carried out over the course of two days from 18 July 2023 at Leixlip Gate South, Kilmacredock Upper, Leixlip, Co. Kildare to study the impact, if any, on the archaeological and historical resource of proposed residential development. Testing was conducted using a mechanical excavator fitted with a flat grading bucket. The trenches targeted geophysical anomalies and open green space to fully investigate the archaeological potential of the site. Archaeological testing revealed two areas of archaeological significance, which have been designated as Archaeological Areas 1 and 2.
Archaeological Area 1 consisted of heat-affected stone in a charcoal-rich soil and measures 7m in length, c. 1.9m in width. A test section at the northern end recorded a cut into the subsoil which may represent a trough or indicate that the heat-affected material filled a gully with sloping sides and a flat base to a depth of 0.53m beneath the heat-affected material. Four modern land drains cut across the area surrounding the heat-affected material.
Archaeological Area 2, uncovered in Trench 13, comprised a deposit of heat-shattered stone with some charcoal, likely representing a burnt mound; this aligns with Anomaly 5 from the geophysical survey and measures 6.5m in length, 2.5m in exposed width and 0.2m in depth. A shallow oval pit was also identified here and measures 2m in length, 1.1m in width and 0.09m in depth. These features appear to represent the remnants of a burnt mound and possibly associated trough
Non-Archaeological features, field drains, were noted throughout the site. No further archaeological remains were identified during the course of testing which appears to confirm the results of the geophysical survey that suggested much of the site was clear. No artefacts or diagnostic evidence was noted during archaeological testing, beyond a few very small pieces of animal bone noted on the surface of the heat-affected material recorded in AA2. Burnt mounds with heat-affected stone are almost exclusively Bronze Age in date.
c/o IAC Ltd, Unit G1 Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
