2025:129 - Corbally, Brownstown, Kildare

Archaeological testing was carried out at Brownstown Quarry, Corbally, Co. Kildare from 9–11 April 2025, in advance of a proposed extension to the Brownstown Sandpit quarry. The proposed application area is within one field of pasture measuring 1.2 hectares in extent. A magnetometer survey conducted in advance of the works identified anomalies and, in turn, determined the location of test trenches.

The magnetometer survey was conducted by AMS (Melia and O’Neill 2024) in October 2024, licence no. 24R0498 and twenty anomalies were identified.

A total of 16 trenches were planned, one of which was not dug due to overhead power lines (Tr. 2) and another two were shortened and/or moved for the same reason (Tr. 1 and 10).

Topsoil at the site consisted of a friable, mid-greyish-brown sandy silt. The subsoil consisted of mid-greyish-brown soft clay sand which lay over the natural, undisturbed deposits which consisted of mid-brownish-grey silts, grits and gravels. The majority of the anomalies identified in the geophysical survey were natural geological deposits. A shallow, north-west/south-east orientated, possible field boundary was in the western end of Trench 9.

In the course of archaeological test-trenching, a polished stone axe head along with a flint flake, four flint blades and a possible scraper were identified, still primarily in situ, during the excavation of the east end of Trench 9. Site director, Jennifer McCarthy, immediately informed the project archaeologist Dr. Charles Mount. The National Monuments Service (NMS) and the National Museum of Ireland (NMI) were also contacted for advice on how to proceed and an updated methodology was submitted. Due to the likelihood of the axe head, and any associated finds or archaeological features being damaged by backfilling the trench and returning at a later date, it was agreed with the NMS and NMI that the finds be retrieved and the possible associated feature be fully excavated (preservation by record) as part of the test-trenching works.

The axe head and flint artefacts were retrieved, and the possible associated feature was fully excavated. This was shown to be an irregular cut containing deposits which displayed in-situ burning at the top and with evidence of tree root and burrowing disturbance. Once excavated the feature measured 0.9m long, 0.75m wide and was 0.2m deep. There was no clear relationship between the artefacts and the in-situ burning or irregular feature.