2024:765 - Jigginstown, Kildare

Pre-planning test excavations were undertaken over seven weeks in July-August 2024 at a site  located on the south-western outskirts of Naas town. The site measured c.1,050,740m2 (c.105.74ha). Testing aimed to determine the archaeological significance of anomalies identified through geophysical survey carried out at the site in November 2023 and January and May 2024 by AMS (licence nos. 23R0177 and 23R0177 Ext., Roche, O’Neill & Melia 2024). The archaeological test excavations were conducted in two phases (Phase 1 and 2) and comprised a total of 81 test trenches (T1–T30, and T32–T84) across the whole site totaling c.3055 linear metres.
Test excavation works identified five individual sites that were archaeological in nature (Archaeological Areas (AA) 1–5). All five corresponded with known geophysical anomalies. These sites vary in character, size and potential significance. AA1–5 are as follows:
• AA1: A univallate enclosure site (c.35m x 28m), located in Field 1 (as identified in T3).
• AA2: A multivallate enclosure site (c.150m x 125m), located in Field 4 (as identified in T22, T23, and T24).
• AA3: A rectilinear enclosure/possible farmstead (c.50m x 38m), located in Field 6 (as identified in T40).
• AA4: A rectilinear enclosure/possible farmstead (c.40m x 38m), located in Field 14 (as identified in T66).
• AA5: A univallate enclosure site (c.25m x 25m), located in Field 17 (as identified in T84).
In addition to sites AA1–5, the programme of targeted test trenching regularly identified and verified historic agricultural boundaries, drains, plough furrows and depressions highlighted by the results of the geophysical survey. A series of geological features and variations in the natural subsoil were also encountered. Further archaeological works are proposed for the site.