2026:265 - Confey and Newtown, Kildare

Test excavations were carried out at Confey and Newtown, Co. Kildare. The site lies
directly north of the Royal Canal, Confey Rail Station and north of the town of Leixlip. It measures c. 6.5ha and consists of a portion of two agricultural fields and a small, overgrown plot along the eastern side. The test trenching was carried out in fulfilment of a condition attached to planning by Kildare County Council, and at the request of the client. These conditions were based on the recommendations of an Archaeological Impact Assessment, which recommended a geophysical survey (25R0024), followed by targeted test trenching and general test trenching across the site.
The site contains no monuments as listed in the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) or Sites and Monuments Record (SMR). KD006-003—- Church & KD006-003001- Graveyard are located directly northeast of the site. The southern
portion of the site, along the Royal Canal, was subject to archaeological investigations previously in the form of test trenching (20E0227). This was in relation to the Leixlip Transfer Pipeline, and no features were identified within the current site.
The test trenches were excavated to target anomalies identified by the geophysical survey (25R0024) to assess their extent, significance and nature. Only one feature of archaeological significance was identified: a spread of burnt stone and charcoal (C09.01) in Trench 9 in Field 2. It was identified at the western end of the trench
(C09.01). It measured 0.8m northeast-southwest by 0.5m. It extended beyond the
limits of the trench to the southwest. No other features of archaeological significance were identified.