N7 Road Widening and Interchanges Scheme

Site Name: Kill Hill 2

Licence Number: 03E1569

Ringditch

Final Report

On behalf of County Council

Licensee: Elizabeth Connolly

June 2010

PROJECT DETAILS

N7 Naas Road Widening and Project Interchanges Scheme

Licence Number 03E1569

Excavation Director Elizabeth Connolly

Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120b Greenpark Road, Consultant Bray, Co. Wicklow Client

Site Name Kill Hill 2 Site Type Ringditch Kill Hill Parish Kill NGR (Easting) 295243 NGR (Northing) 223345 Height m OD 112 m OD

RMP No. N/A

Excavation Dates 27 October – 4 November 2003

Report Type Final Report Date June 2010 Report By IAC Ltd

N7 Naas Road Widening and Interchanges Scheme Kill Hill 2, 03E1569

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY

This report, prepared on behalf of Kildare County Council, has been undertaken to describe the results of an excavation carried out at the site of the N7 Naas Road Widening and Interchanges Scheme, at Kill Hill (OS sheet KD020), (Figure 1). An area was fully excavated by Elizabeth Connolly under licence to the National Monuments Section of the Heritage and Planning Division, Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Licence 03E1569) for Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd. The excavation took place between 27 October and 4 November 2003.

Centreline testing of the route of the proposed N7 Naas Road Widening and Interchanges Scheme was carried out by the author in August 2003 (03E1265). This resulted in the identification of archaeological remains at four adjacent locations within Kill Hill Townland. It was clear that the proposed road construction would impact negatively upon the identified archaeological remains. It was recommended that an area measuring 30m by 30m around each site be subject to a full archaeological excavation and preservation by record prior to the commencement of construction works in this area.

The excavation at Kill Hill 2 revealed a penannular ditch, of probable Bronze Age date, filled with a sterile compact clay. The ditch enclosed an area c. 7m in diameter and was open on the east. There were no internal features within the enclosed area. There was one sherd of medieval pottery associated with a field drain on this site.

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CONTENTS NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY...... I 1 INTRODUCTION...... 1 1.1 General...... 1 1.2 Site Location...... 1 1.2 The Development ...... 1 2 HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND...... 2 2.1 Prehistoric Period ...... 2 2.2 Early Medieval Period ...... 3 2.3 Medieval Period...... 3 2.4 Kill village ...... 4 2.5 Summary of Previous Fieldwork in the Study Area ...... 4 3 THE EXCAVATION...... 7 3.2.1 Phase 1 - Natural Geology ...... 7 3.2.2 Phase 2 - Prehistoric Features...... 7 3.2.3 Phase 3 – Post-Medieval Features ...... 8 3.2.4 Phase 4 - Topsoil ...... 8 4 DISCUSSION ...... 9 4.1 General...... 9 4.2 Specific...... 9 5 REFERENCES...... 11 APPENDIX 1: CONTEXTS ...... I APPENDIX 2: SITE MATRIX...... III APPENDIX 3: FINDS INDEX...... IV APPENDIX 4: MEDIEVAL POTTERY REPORT ...... V APPENDIX 5: SMR SITES WITHIN THE SURROUNDING AREA ...... VIII APPENDIX 6: STRAY FINDS WITHIN THE SURROUNDING AREA ...... XIII

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List of Figures Figure 1 03E1569 Kill Hill 2 site location Figure 2 03E1569 Kill Hill 2 RMP map showing sites in the vicinity Figure 3 03E1569 Kill Hill 2 site specific location within development Figure 4 03E1569 Kill Hill 2 post-excavation plan Figure 5 03E1569 Kill Hill 2 sections of C3

List of Plates Plate 1 Pre-excavation view of site from the south Plate 2 North-facing section of C3 and C4 Plate 3 South-facing section of C3 and C4 Plate 4 Field drain, C6 and C7, from the south Plate 5 Post-excavation view of site from the east Plate 6 Post-excavation view of site from the west

iii Irish Archaeological Consultancy N7 Naas Road Widening and Interchanges Scheme Kill Hill 2, 03E1569

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 General This report, prepared on behalf of Kildare County Council, has been undertaken to describe the results of an excavation carried out at the site of the proposed N7 Naas Road Widening and Interchanges Scheme, at Kill Hill (OS Sheet 20 Kildare, Figures 1&2). The area was fully excavated by Elizabeth Connolly under licence to the National Monuments Section of the Heritage and Planning Division, Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Licence 03E1569) for Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd. The excavation took place between 27 October and 4 November 2003.

The Naas Road Widening and Interchanges Scheme was essentially an improvement of the existing N7 between Maudlins Interchange and the /Kildare County boundary. The EIS for the project was carried out in November 2000, with subsequent field survey reports being undertaken in March 2001 and November 2002. Construction of the scheme commenced in autumn 2004.

After consultation with the NRA Project Archaeologist, the National Monuments Section of the Heritage and Planning Division, Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government it was agreed that a programme of centreline test trenching be undertaken prior to the commencement of construction works. Concurrent with some site specific archaeological testing, as well as geophysical survey, a linear trench with offsets spaced at 25m intervals on each side was excavated across all areas of land take in an attempt to define areas of previously unrecognised potential.

In Kill Hill townland, due to the proximity of Kill Hill (KD020:001) (a very large hillfort/enclosure measuring approximately 600m in diameter, located 120m south of the area of land take), the trenches were excavated at 5m intervals. In the Kill Hill region, four sites were identified as a result of centreline trenching (Figure 2). These sites have all been archaeologically resolved under individual licences (03E1570, 03E1571, 03E1573).

1.2 Site Location Kill Hill 2 was located in Kill Hill townland immediately to the south of the existing N7, and to the east of Kill village. The site was located on the lower slopes of Kill Hill where it levels out at 112 OD. The specific site location is NGR 295243/223345.

• Site Kill Hill 2, Excavation Licence 03E01569.

1.2 The Development The development consisted of The Naas Road Widening and Interchanges Scheme and was essentially an improvement of the existing N7 between Maudlins Interchange and Rathcoole, in south Co. Dublin. The purpose of the scheme was to remove the existing traffic signals at Kill and Johnstown and all existing median crossing with reassigned traffic accommodated through a series of interchanges and local link roads.

The scheme for Contracts 1 and 2 was approximately 8.5km in length. Contract 1 was approximately 3.4km in length and extended from the south end of the proposed scheme between the of Maudlins and Kill. Contract 2 was approximately 5.1km in length and concerned the north end of the scheme between the townlands of Kill and Hutton Read/Castlewarden. Contract 2 extended from Kill Village to the Kildare/Rathcoole, Co. Dublin, with the site located c. 450m north-east of Kill village.

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2 HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

The area under assessment extends approximately from Kill Townland (OS Sheet 15, Kildare) through to Maudlins Townland (OS Sheet 19, Kildare). The general area is relatively low-lying, located on the W fringe of the Wicklow and Dublin mountains. A large interchange and realignment of the existing road into greenfield areas will take place in the townlands of Kill Hill, Kill West and East and Boherphilip. The excavations at Kill Hill townland lie in close proximity to an important archaeological complex comprising a large hill fort, a motte and bailey, two enclosures, a fulacht fiadh. The complex of monuments, in addition to the Bronze Age sites recently excavated (03E1570, 03E1569, 03E1571, 03E1573); reflect the importance of the area and the continuity of settlement concentrated around Kill Hill from the Bronze Age onwards.

2.1 Prehistoric Period There is some evidence of Neolithic activity in the area. The decoration on the Kilwarden Stone suggests that the monument dates to the late Neolithic period (Appendix 5; KD020:018). This large boulder inscribed with rock art was discovered in Kilwarden townland in August 1990 during field clearance works. It was located in an otherwise stone-free field on level ground and had formed part of a rough circle or arc of stones before removal. Although the possibility that the stones had formed the remains of a cairn was considered, it was concluded that the stones were unlikely to have been in their original position.

The Bronze Age (c. 2500-500 BC) produced the earliest datable structures in Kildare. The long stone rath with circular bank and fosse at Furness near Naas, approximately 5km west of Kill, dates to this period. Stray finds from the area also indicate Bronze Age activity, including an axe head from Raheen near Naas (NMI 1891:12) and a bronze dagger in a bog in the vicinity of (NMI Record only). A fulacht fiadh is recorded immediately south of Kill village, on the banks of the River Kill. These sites are regarded as ancient cooking places and consist of a horse-shoe or kidney shaped mound of fire cracked stone, surrounding a slight hollow in which either a clay lined pit or wood lined trough is normally found. They are usually located in low-lying areas near a water source, often in clusters. Radiocarbon dates from these sites has indicated that they are Bronze Age in date.

A number of mound and earthwork sites (Appendix 5; KD019:018, KD019:044, KD019:045), including a barrow site (Appendix 5; KD020:002) provide evidence of probable settlement in the area during the Bronze Age. Tumuli are simple earthen mounds used in the Neolithic and Bronze Age to cover burials, while barrows are earthen burial monuments of the Bronze Age and Iron Age (600-400 AD) and generally consist of a circular area surrounded by a fosse, often with an external bank (Grogan and Kilfeather 1997, 15).

Kill Hill (Appendix 5; KD020:001) is a very large hillfort/enclosure measuring approximately 600 m in diameter, located 120m S of the proposed area of land take. It appears to be made up of the two possible enclosures, one running around the base of the hill and the other located to the south-east of the summit of the hill. A possible standing stone was located within the enclosure. It was a tall thin granite post similar to the other possible standing stones located in the area. Given the size of Kill Hill and the surrounding archaeological landscape, it is likely that the enclosure would have been of great importance in the area.

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2.2 Early Medieval Period The early medieval period (400-1160 AD) is portrayed in the surviving literary sources as entirely rural, characterised by the basic territorial unit known as a túath. It is estimated that there were probably at least 150 kings in at any given time during this period, each ruling over his own túath. During this turbulent period, defensive enclosures known as ringforts, regarded as defended family homesteads, were constructed to protect farmsteads. The extant dating evidence suggests they were primarily built between the 7th and 9th centuries AD. These are the most frequently recorded archaeological site type and c.50, 000 examples are recorded in the Irish landscape. The ringfort or rath is considered to be the most common indicator of settlement during the early medieval period. Four enclosure sites (probable ringforts) (Appendix 5; KD019:010, KD019:057, KD020:001) and two ringforts (Appendix 5; KD020:003, KD019:007) are recorded in the surrounding townlands.

Place-name and documentary evidence suggests that the nearby village of Kill has its origins in the early medieval period and the foundation of a monastery there. The recorded dedication of the church to SS. Mary and Brigid in the early 13th century, together with the tradition recorded in the 19th century, indicates that Kill was originally Cill Brighde (Church of Brigid). It is probable that the Anglo-Normans took over a pre-existing church of St. Brigid and added the dedication to St. Mary (Bradley 1986, 297).

Many of the early ecclesiastical sites, some of which were monastic foundations, were originally defined by an enclosing wall or bank similar to that found at the coeval secular sites, such as ringforts. This enclosing feature was built more to define the sacred character of the area of the church than as a defence against aggression. An inner and outer enclosure can be seen at some of the more important sites; the inner enclosure surrounding the sacred area of church and burial ground and the outer enclosure providing a boundary around living quarters and craft areas. Where remains of an enclosure survive, it is often the only evidence that the site was an early Christian foundation. The slight curve in Main Street in Kill, to the north-west and west of the church may represent the line of a former enclosure around the original church.

The present village may occupy the site of the medieval borough; however, the only extant indicators of the settlement are the motte and the parish church. Main Street almost certainly preserves the street plan of the 17th century borough, the existence of which is first recorded in 1608.

2.3 Medieval Period Little is known of the early process of Norman settlement in Kildare. It is likely that there was an influx of an immigrant farming population. By the end of the 12th century Norman settlement was effective over the whole county, as marked by the beginning of the rule of the Fitzgerald family as earls of Kildare. During this period, the Anglo- Normans built castles of stone construction or large flat-topped mounds or mottes with timber structures atop in order to defend their recently acquired lands. Their presence is noted in the area through two motte-and-bailey sites, one recorded in Kill (Appendix 5; KD0019:008/01) and the other in Castlewarden North (Appendix 5; KD015:009).

The motte and bailey, and later castles, were the centres of rural administration and justice throughout the medieval period. Archaeological evidence produced at some motte and bailey sites indicates that the motte and bailey did not stand in isolation in the countryside. Farm buildings are known to have stood around the motte at

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Springpark, Old Ross, Co. Wexford during the medieval period. Documentary evidence paints a similar picture, with the motte at Castlemore, Co. described in 1307 as having a grange (barn?) of ten forks and a watermill, as well as other timber ad masonry buildings. A manorial court was still being held within the motte and bailey at Kill to settle agricultural disputes in 1540, long after the site had ceased to be used as a residence and farm centre. This suggests that a timber building still stood somewhere within the site at this late date and indicates that the motte and bailey had retained its position as the focus of agricultural concern in the area (O’Connor 1998, 32). The motte and bailey at Kill (KD019-008/01) was presumably erected by the ruling Anglo-Norman family, the de Herefords, in the late 12th / early 13th century. In the extent of 1540 it is referred to as ‘a small mountain surrounded by a dry ditch, on which the capital messuage of the manor was situated, and where the Court Baron is still held, when the turn for it comes’ (Bradley 1986, 295).

The site is in good condition and consists of a tree-covered mound (c. 12m high), enclosed by a ditch with a slight counterscarp bank, and a bailey on the north-west. The Kill River flows through the ditch on the south-west. According to Bradley, there is a small conical mound, 4.5m in diameter, immediately south of the motte, possibly a tumulus (1986, 296).

2.4 Kill village Kill is a small village located approximately 8.5km north-east of Naas in County Kildare. The village is situated on the Kill River in relatively low-lying ground along the west fringes of the . The village itself takes its name from the Irish word cell meaning a church and probably started life as a small monastic site in the Early Christian period. The original dedication of the church is said to have been to St. Brigid. It is also suggested that Kill was the burial place of Cearbhall, an early 10th century king of .

Kill formed part of the cantred of Offelan and was granted to Adam de Hereford by Strongbow after the Anglo-Norman conquest of 1169-70. Adam, in turn, granted Kill to his brother John who was succeeded by his son Thomas de Hereford. The motte- and-bailey to the south of the village (Appendix 5; KD019:008/04) was probably built by the de Herefords in the late 12th or early 13th century (Bradley et al. 1986). In 1540, the motte-and-bailey was referred to as a small mountain surrounded by a dry ditch on which the capital messuage (stone house) of the manor was situated.

A commandery for the Knights Hospitallers was located at Killhill in the 13th century, c. 1 km east of the village, and that chapters of the Order were held there on four occasions between 1326 and 1334 (Lewis 1837). Charters of Thomas de Hereford from the early 13th century provide details about the village of Kill at that time, recording that the village was granted to St Thomas’ Abbey in Dublin. The abbey is recorded as holding a court and grange (monastic farm) in Kill, while Thomas de Hereford had a demesne there between 1215 and 1223. The earliest definitive reference to a borough at Kill occurs in 1608 when it was included in a list of boroughs and towns in Co. Kildare. By 1659, the population of Kill was estimated at 92 and by the 1830’s, there were 113 houses and the village was described as having a ‘neat appearance’ (Bradley et al. 1986).

2.5 Summary of Previous Fieldwork in the Study Area • Monitoring of a pipeline extension was carried out in Main St on behalf of Bord Gáis Éireann, and within the zone of archaeological potential recognised in the Urban Archaeology Survey for Kill. No archaeological features or artefacts came to light (Bennett 2000:0491, 98E0114ext).

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• An archaeological evaluation was undertaken at a proposed development site located to the rear of The Old House, Kill, in compliance with a condition included in a grant of planning in respect of the development of the site. The site is located within the boundaries of the urban area of archaeological potential for Kill. No features, structures or finds of archaeological interest were uncovered (Bennett 2000:0493, 00E0438).

• An archaeological evaluation was undertaken at a proposed development site at Main St, within the boundaries of the urban area of archaeological potential for Kill and to the immediate east of the site of the medieval parish church. No features or structures of archaeological interest were uncovered. Two sherds of probable medieval pottery were recovered from the disturbed topsoil, and it was recommended that no further archaeological involvement at the site was required (Bennett 1999:395, 99E0396).

• Monitoring of topsoil-stripping associated with the construction of a dwelling was undertaken in compliance with a condition included in the grant of planning. The site is within the boundaries of a large enclosure (KD020:001) that encompasses the base of Killhill. Also on Killhill is a smaller enclosure site (KD020:002). No features or finds of archaeological interest were uncovered during the work (Bennett 1999:396, 99E0243).

• Archaeological monitoring was carried out at the site of a housing development at Killhill, Kill, Co. Kildare, on various dates from February to August 1998. The development site lies just outside the zone of archaeological potential for Kill and is surrounded by several other archaeological sites. A large enclosure, KD020:001, encompasses the base of Killhill, which is situated a short distance to the east of the site. During monitoring of the pipeline no archaeological features or artefacts were noted. Monitoring of the housing development identified no archaeological features. Several fragments of burnt bone and a few tiny fragments of charcoal were found during the course of soil-stripping, but in no instance did any of these appear to be associated with structural features within the ground. Several fragments of flint were also found during the course of soil- stripping. These mainly comprised unworked pieces, but two represented struck flakes and one appeared to represent a core from which flakes had been struck. A single sherd of medieval pottery was also recovered (Bennett 1998:319, 98E0179).

• On behalf of Bord Gáis Éireann, and within the zone of archaeological potential recognised in the Urban Archaeological Survey for Kill, archaeological monitoring was carried out on the gas pipeline trench mechanically excavated along Main St and the Glendara Estate, which lies in the vicinity of a motte and bailey. Throughout the course of monitoring no archaeological features or artefacts came to light (Bennett 1998:320, 98E0014).

• In compliance with the recommendations of the National Monuments Service, a programme of archaeological testing was carried out at Killhill in May 1997, adjacent to an Anglo-Norman motte (Bennett 1997:272, 97E0152). No archaeological features or artefacts were identified in the southern trenches closest to the motte, although there was some evidence for field drains. In the eastern trench, two sherds of medieval pottery were recovered, while the northern trench also yielded sherds of medieval pottery.

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• Part of an enclosure possibly associated with the pre-Norman ecclesiastical foundation was revealed during testing carried out at a site in Kill, immediately to the W and SW of the parish church of St Mary and Brigid (Bennett 1996:184, 96E079).

• Pre-development testing was carried out at the site of a possible monastic enclosure situated immediately to the W and SW of the parish church of St Mary and Brigid. This 19th century building is built on the site of the medieval parish church and may in turn be located on an earlier pre-Norman ecclesiastical site and enclosure. Little of archaeological note was uncovered during the trial trenching. Evidence for activity in the area dating to the medieval period was uncovered in the form of a small number of pottery fragments, but these came from top soil contexts, the soil of which is known to have been imported onto the site from elsewhere. No evidence survives for the graveyard associated with the parish church ever extending beyond the line of the present boundary wall (Bennett 1993:134, 93E0059).

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3 THE EXCAVATION

3.1 Methodology Archaeological testing at Kill Hill 2 was carried out from 11–22 August 2003 (Licence 03E1265). At Kill Hill 2 a penannular ringditch with an internal diameter of 6.56m was identified. The ditch measured 0.45m in width and varied in depth from 0.16m on the south side to 0.27m on the north side.

It was filled with a compact sandy clay, greyish white in colour, with no obvious charcoal flecking or finds. The cut was v-shaped. Some modern cultivation furrows were investigated to the south-east. Two possible cuts were identified to the west and north-west, one of which appeared to truncate the ringditch, and one of which appeared to cut the interior. A wider area was opened by machine and no further archaeological features were recorded in the immediate vicinity

It was recommended that this site be fully excavated in advance of construction works. It was recommended that topsoil stripping of an area approximately 30m x 30m around the site would allow features to be revealed and assessed. The topsoil was reduced to the interface between topsoil and natural subsoil using a 20 tonne mechanical excavator equipped with a flat toothless bucket under strict archaeological supervision. The remaining topsoil was removed by the archaeological team with the use of shovels, hoes and trowels in order to expose and identify the archaeological remains. A site grid was set up at 10m intervals and was subsequently calibrated to the national grid using GPS survey equipment.

All features were subsequently fully excavated by hand and recorded using the single context recording system with plans and sections being produced at a scale of 1:50, 1:20 or 1:10 as appropriate. A complete photographic record was maintained throughout the excavation. Digital photographs were taken of all features and of work in progress. All excavation and post-excavation works were carried out in consultation and agreement with the Project Archaeologist, the National Monuments Section of the DEHLG and the National Museum of Ireland. All contexts are described in Appendix 1.

3.2 The Excavation The excavation took place from the 27 October to 4 November 2003.

3.2.1 Phase 1 - Natural Geology The natural subsoil (C2) was recorded in all places on the site. It comprised of grey- brown silty clay of a firm compaction.

The natural subsoil (C2) was overlain in parts by patches of whitish grey silty clay (C5) interpreted as a variation in the natural, and also as a possible source of the fill of the ditch.

3.2.2 Phase 2 - Prehistoric Features

Penannular ditch C3 The penannular ditch (cut C3 and fill C4), which was sub circular in plan was cut into the subsoil (C2) (Figures 4 & 5; Plates 1, 5 & 6).

The cut of the ditch varied from v- to u-shaped in profile and measured from 0.33m- 0.47m in width with an average depth of 0.20m (Figure 5; Plates 2 & 3). The ditch was curvilinear, enclosing an area of 7m in diameter with terminals to the east

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forming a probable entrance. The ditch cut splayed to its widest at both terminals and left an uncut width of 2.5m between the two.

The ditch had one fill (C4); a whitish grey silty clay with small pebble inclusions. No datable environmental or artefactual material was recovered from the ringditch.

3.2.3 Phase 3 – Post-Medieval Features

French drain A post-medieval field drain (C6 cut and C7 fill) (Figure 5; Plate 4) was recorded 4.5m to the north of the ringditch. The cut was shallow and box-shaped and it was filled with a rough stone lining with flattish capstones bonded together with redeposited natural clay. One stray find consisting of a fragment of approximately half of a strap handle, of Dublin-type fine ware pottery, dating to the later thirteenth and fourteenth centuries (McCutcheon; Appendix 4) was recovered.

3.2.4 Phase 4 - Topsoil The final phase of activity was represented by the topsoil which was removed by mechanical excavator under strict archaeological supervision. The topsoil C1 had a maximum depth of 0.30m. No finds were recovered from the topsoil.

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4 DISCUSSION

4.1 General Ringditches are one of the monument types classified under the general barrow label. Newman (1997) has identified five main types in the Tara area based mainly on morphological differences between monuments. They include the ringditch, the embanked ringditch, the ring barrow, the bowl barrow and the bowl barrow lacking an external bank. Two additional barrow types, the stepped barrow and the enclosure barrow have been identified by Farrelly and Keane (2002). Ringditches generally consist of a single ditch enclosing an area, however, examples with two and even three enclosing ditches have been noted, such as at Tankardstown, Co. (Gowen and Tarbett 1988), Raynestown , Co. Meath (O’Connor 2006) and Creevy, Co. Donegal (Waddell, 1988, 366). The incorporation of an entrance into the enclosed area, generally a simple undug causeway, appears to be more common to later monuments.

Ringditches and barrows became common burial monuments in the middle to late Bronze Age. These could contain central cremation pits or cremated bone/funeral pyre debris in or beneath a mound or in the ringditch fill. Sometimes there is no direct funerary evidence although often the monuments were located within a prehistoric cemetery complex (Daly and Grogan 1993). It can be difficult to be certain whether ringditches formed standalone funerary monuments or the remnants of flattened barrows or were in the case of those with no associated burials, cemetery markers or even non-funerary structures.

The manner of the deposition of human remains in the ringditch varies from site to site. Burial depositions consist of inhumations and cremations, the latter being the most dominant rite. The burials generally being interred in cists, stone lined pits and more commonly in simple unlined pits. The ringditch usually encloses the burial area, although in some cases burials can be found outside this enclosed area. It is also common to find cremated deposits in simple spreads within the enclosure or within the enclosing ditch. In many cases a variety of burial forms may be found in one ringditch. In general the burials only represent a small proportion of the population; therefore they may represent the burials of high ranking individuals. A trend which is becoming increasingly common, as more ringditch sites are being excavated, is the complete absence of burials in ringditches.

Ringditches are generally located on higher ground and are often found in proximity to streams or rivers. Sites may be clustered, along with other barrow types, to form barrow cemeteries. In general, ringditches date to the Bronze Age, with the earlier examples being simpler in form and later examples incorporating entrances and a wider range of burials practices. Ringditches appear to have continued to be built or earlier monuments re-used, during the Iron Age and early medieval period, such as the examples excavated at Ardsallagh 1, Co. Meath (Clarke 2007), Cherrywood, Area A, Site 4, Co. Dublin (O’Neill 2001; 2006) and Cross, Co. (Mullins, 2006).

4.2 Archaeological Typology Background

4.2 Specific Although the excavation of the ringditch at Kill Hill 2 failed to produce any material that could be used to date the site it is reasonable to assume that it dates to the either the Late Bronze or early Iron Age periods as evidence for both are readily identified in the surrounding landscape.

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The site is located in the immediate vicinity of two other ringditch sites excavated as part of the same project. The enclosure at Kill Hill (KD 020:001), to the south of these excavations is of Bronze Age date. The other two excavated sites, Kill Hill 1 (03E1570) and Kill Hill 4 (03E1573), both yielded evidence for burial of cremated remains. At Kill Hill 4 the remains of three Late Bronze Age pottery vessel were identified (Grogan 2004) in association with cremation burials. Both of these ringditch sites had ditches of a comparable diameter with Kill Hill 2 and at Kill Hill 1 and Kill Hill 4 cremated human bone was identified within the ditch fill.

The fill of the ditch at Kill Hill 2 was sterile and consisted of a white/light grey clay. This clay probably represented re-deposited natural subsoil and a similar deposit was identified occurring across the site. The area enclosed by the ditch was also sterile and there was no evidence for an internal mound, suggesting that either no cremations were placed on the interior of the ringditch or that the site had been significantly truncated through intensive agricultural practices and that all evidence for the cremations had been removed.

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5 REFERENCES

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Bennett, I (ed). 1999. Excavations: Summary Accounts of Archaeological Excavations in Ireland. Bray: Wordwell

Bennett, I (ed). 1998. Excavations: Summary Accounts of Archaeological Excavations in Ireland. Bray: Wordwell

Bennett, I (ed). 1997. Excavations: Summary Accounts of Archaeological Excavations in Ireland. Bray: Wordwell

Bennett, I (ed). 1996. Excavations: Summary Accounts of Archaeological Excavations in Ireland. Bray: Wordwell

Bennett, I (ed). 1993. Excavations: Summary Accounts of Archaeological Excavations in Ireland. Bray: Wordwell

Bradley et al 1986. Urban Archaeological Survey for Kildare. OPW. Dublin

Clarke, L 2007 Interim excavation report of Ardsallagh 2, Co. Meath. Unpublished excavation report for ACS Ltd

Daly, A and Grogan, E 1993 Excavations of four barrows in Mitchelstowndown West, Knocklong, . In (ed) Final Report, Discovery Programme Reports 1, 44-60. Royal Irish Academy. Dublin

Farrelly, J. and Keane, M. 2002 New barrow types identified in County . In Gowen, M and C. Tarbett 1988 A third season at Tankardstown, Archaeology Ireland 8, 156

Geological Survey of Ireland. Aerial Photographs of County Kildare

Gowen, M. & Co., 2001 Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Section of N7 Rathcoole to Kildare County Boundary Environmental Impact Statement prepared by Halcrow Barry & Partners

Gowen, M and Tarbett, C 1988 A third season at Tankardstown, Archaeology Ireland, 8, 156

Grogan 2004 The prehistoric pottery from Kill Hill 4. Unpublished Specialist report for IAC Ltd.

Grogan and Kilfeather 1997 Archaeological Inventory of Wicklow. The Stationery Office. Dublin

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Newman, C 1997 Tara: An Archaeological Survey, Royal Irish Academy. Dublin

O’ Connor, E 2006 A double ringditch at Raynestown, Co. Meath. Unpublished paper compiled fro ACS Ltd

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O’Connor, K. D. 1998. The Archaeology of Medieval Rural Settlement in Ireland. Discovery Programme Monograph No. 3

Ó Néill, J 2006 Excavation of pre-Norman structures on the site of an enclosed Early Christian cemetery at Cherrywood, Co. Dublin. In Medieval Dublin VII, Duffy, S (ed), Four Courts Press. Dublin

O’Neill, J 2001 Cherrywood Science and Technology Park, Co. Dublin. (Licence Refs.: 98E0526, 99E0517, 99E0518, 99E0523). In Bennett, I. Excavations 1999, Summary account of archaeological excavations in Ireland. Wordwell. Bray

Valerie J. Keeley Ltd. Archaeological Assessment. March 2001. Preferred Route N7 Naas Road Interchange Scheme, Co Kildare

Waddell, J. 1998. The Prehistoric Archaeology of Ireland. Wordwell, Bray

Other Sources Record of Monuments and Places (RMP), The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, 7 Ely Place Upper, Dublin 2

Topographical Files of the National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2

Electronic References http://www.crds.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=26 Mullins, G. 2006. Summary of site at Cross A024/07 excavated as part of the N6 Galway-Ballinasloe Contract 3 Archaeological Works, Co. Galway

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PLATES

Plate 1: Pre-excavation view of site from the south

Plate 2: North-facing section of C3 and C4

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Plate 3: South-facing section of C3 and C4

Plate 4: Field drain, C6 and C7, from the south

Irish Archaeological Consultancy Plates N7 Naas Road Widening and Interchanges Scheme Kill Hill 2, 03E1569

Plate 5: Post-excavation view of site from the east

Plate 6: Post-excavation view of site from the west

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APPENDIX 1: CONTEXTS

Context Context Context Fill of L(m) W(m) D(m) Basic Description Interpretation Description Finds Above Below 1 N/A 0.20 Brown clay silt Topsoil Firm brown clay silt None 7 Grey brown silty clay of a compact None 2 Natural subsoil 5 consistence. Penannular ditch had two terminals to the E. None The width of the ditch increased at the 3 26 0.40 0.20 Cut of penannular ditch Ringditch terminals. The width between the terminals 4 5 was 2.5m. Enclosed an area of approximately 7m in diameter. Yellowish grey silty clay, compact and None 4 3 Fill of gully Ringditch fill 6 3 sterile Yellowish grey silty clay of a compact, None 5 Natural subsoil. 3 2 crumbly texture, overlying C2. The feature continued N for 9.45m to the None 6 Cut of drain Stone drain 4 7 edge of the baulk. Lined with medium to large sub-angular 1 x sherd of med stones with flattish capstones, bonded with pot 7 Fill of drain redeposited natural. A fragment of medieval 1 6 pottery was recovered from on top of the drain.

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APPENDIX 2: SITE MATRIX

C1 I C7 I C6 I C4 I C3 I C5 I C2

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APPENDIX 3: FINDS INDEX

Find (03E1569) Context Material Period Comment

6:1 6 Pottery Medieval Stray find

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APPENDIX 4: MEDIEVAL POTTERY REPORT

A note on the medieval pottery from Kill Hill 2, Co. Kildare (03E1569)

Clare McCutcheon MA MIAI

The site is located south-west of the village of Kill, Co. Kildare. A single sherd of medieval pottery, recovered from a field drain (F6), was presented for study. This consists of approximately half of a strap handle, of Dublin-type fine ware, dating to the later thirteenth and fourteenth centuries (McCutcheon 2000, 122).

The handle is green glazed and has a deeply cut incised line running centrally down the handle. The fragment is the lower half of the handle, as the end of the incision is clearly visible and most medieval jugs, when breaking at the rim, retained the stub of the handle. The fabric is fine red-firing clay, partly light grey in section. The handle measures c.50mm wide and a maximum of 11mm thick.

Historical background The background information in the draft stratigraphic report notes that the nearby village of Kill was granted to the Abbey of St Thomas in Dublin (Sherlock 1897). This foundation in Dublin, dedicated to St Thomas the Martyr i.e. Thomas à Becket, was a very early dedication in 1177 AD. Beckett had been murdered at Canterbury in late 1170 and canonised in 1173. Part of Henry II’s penance was to build and dedicate churches in honour of the saint (Gwynn 1954, 12). St Thomas’ was located outside the western gate of Dublin and the canons set about developing the area and beyond with considerable vigour (Duddy 2003). ‘St Thomas’s was founded with ends in mind, that were advantageous to civil society, for example, the development of the suburb, but these ends were to be reached through the Christian ethic’ (ibid, 82ff). In the first years of the new Dublin community it is plain that most of the prominent Anglo- Norman adventurers in this country made more or less extensive grants to “the canons who served God in the monastery of blessed Thomas the martyr near Dublin” (Gwynn 1954, 14), and these include the village of Kill, Co. Kildare, granted by Thomas de Hereford (Sherlock 1897).

The significance of St Thomas in connection with the distribution of pottery lies in its location in the western suburbs. Clarke (1998, 50-51) describes Thomas Street as ‘the great artery for food and other necessities entering the city’, with an eight day fair established in 1204, subsequently lengthened to a fifteen day fair by 1215. Down the hill and parallel to Thomas Street lay Crocker Street. As early as 1190 this street is named vicus pottorum, later reappearing as vicus figulorum and Crocker Street (Brooks 1936). No kilns and associated features such as workshops, clay settling pits or waste heaps have been uncovered on the street, although pottery wasters have been recovered at excavations in the Iveagh Markets to the south of the medieval wall (McCutcheon in prep) and waste material from ridge tile production, in clay similar to Dublin-type coarseware has been recovered at the Cornmarket (Wren forthcoming). Nevertheless the use of the imported word ‘crocker’ is substantial if circumstantial evidence for the association with the production of pottery. In addition, a number leases between Thomas Street and Crocker Street were held in the early thirteenth century by people whose names clearly indicated that they were involved in the making of earthenware (Brooks 1936). The vigorous development of the western suburbs by St Thomas’ Abbey and the extensive properties held in Meath and Kildare in particular would have encouraged the lively production of familiar looking pottery for the use of the new settlers in Dublin and beyond. The distribution of the Dublin-type wares is widespread and, for example, extends at least to Trim,

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Co. Meath; Castle, Co. Kildare, and Dundrum and Carrickmines Castles, Co. Dublin (McCutcheon forthcoming a-d).

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Bibliography Brooks, E St. John (ed.) 1936 Register of the Hospital of S John the Baptist without the New Gate.

Clarke, HB 1998 ‘Urbs et suburbium: beyond the walls of medieval Dublin’, in C. Manning (ed.), Dublin and beyond . 45-58. Dublin.

Clarke, HB 2002 Dublin, Part I, to 1610. Irish Historic Towns Atlas No. 11. Dublin.

Gwynn, A 1954 ‘The early history of St Thomas’ Abbey, Dublin’, Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 84, 1-35.

McCutcheon, C 2000 ‘Medieval pottery in Dublin: new names and some dates', in S. Duffy (ed.), Medieval Dublin I: Proceedings of the Friends of Medieval Dublin Symposium 1999. 117-25. Dublin.

McCutcheon, C forthcoming (a) ‘The pottery’, in A. Hayden, Excavations at Main Street, Trim, Co. Meath.

McCutcheon, C forthcoming (b) ‘The pottery’, in A. Hayden, Excavations at , Co. Kildare.

McCutcheon, C forthcoming (c) ‘The pottery’, in E. O’Brien, Excavations at Dundrum Castle, Co. Dublin.

McCutcheon, C forthcoming (d) ‘The medieval pottery’, in M. Clinton, Excavations at Carrickmines Castle, Co. Dublin.

McCutcheon, C in prep ‘The pottery’, in F. Myles, Excavations at the Iveagh Markets, Dublin.

Sherlock, W 1897 ‘Early landowners in Kill, Co. Kildare’, Journal of the Kildare Archaeological Society. Vol. II, no.3. 179-85.

Wren, J forthcoming 'Roof tiles’ in A. Hayden, Excavations at the Cornmarket, Dublin.

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APPENDIX 5: SMR SITES WITHIN THE SURROUNDING AREA

SMR No.: KD015:008 NGR: 29712/22488 Townland: Castlewarden North Parish: Oughterard Barony: Classification: House site Description: Marked on the Down Survey Map of 1650 and on later OS maps as Castlewarden House. An Foras Forbartha in Buildings of Architectural Interest in County Kildare describes it as ‘an early 19th century house on the site of an important 17th century house’. Reference: SMR file

SMR No.: KD015:009 NGR: 29682/22506 Townland: Castlewarden North Parish: Oughterard Barony: South Salt Classification: Motte and Bailey Description: Killanin and Duignan state that this was built by Adam de Hereford. The remains comprise a central oval mound (27 m x 45 m) enclosed by two fosses with an intervening bank. The monument is at the centre of a complex of low earthworks including a possible bailey represented by a rectangular area enclosed by a bank with side fosses immediately E of the motte. Radiating from this is a field system enclosed by fosse. The monument is located in a low-lying situation on a slight rise with commanding views of the local area. It has been largely disturbed. Reference: SMR file

SMR No.: KD019:006 NGR: 29150/22223 Townland: Kerdiffstown Parish: Kill Barony: South Salt Classification: Church and Graveyard Description: Unusually located on the floor of a river valley close to a small river and at the foot of an esker ridge. Adjoining the completely overgrown nave and chancel church is an unenclosed graveyard. The graveyard contains memorials dating mainly to after 1700, but a 13th or 14th century grave slab was discovered here in September 1990. Reference: SMR file

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SMR No.: KD019:007 NGR: 29291/22274 Townland: Greenhills Parish: Kill Barony: South Salt Classification: Ringfort Description: Circular ringfort (diameter 52 m) outlined by a bank surrounding a flat interior. There is no visible trace of a fosse but as the site is very overgrown, it is possible that one exists but that it is currently obscured. Entrance gap is at NE. Situated in reasonably well drained low-lying land. Reference: SMR file

SMR No.: KD019:008 NGR: 29408/22285 Townland: Kill East, Kill West, Killhill Parish: Kill Barony: South Salt Classification: Town Description: See historical background for details regarding Kill Village. Reference: SMR file

SMR No.: KD019:010 NGR: 29456/22266 Townland: Killhill Parish: Kill Barony: South Salt Classification: Enclosure Site Description: Irregularly shaped earthwork enclosure in the adjacent field to the E of Kill Motte. Marked on OS maps but there is no visible trace today. Reference: SMR file

SMR No.: KD019:014 NGR: 29211/22158 Townland: Palmerstown Parish: Johnstown Barony: Classification: Johnstown Church and Graveyard Description: The church is a simple rectangular structure aligned E-W, which has been well maintained and repaired on a number of occasions. The large E gothic window has recently been conserved and restored. A large pointed archway in the western gable is thought to have replaced a round-headed arch in the last 100 years or so. There is no visible evidence for an original entrance. The N and S walls stand approximately 1 m high and there is evidence for a

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second entrance in the northern wall. The church contains the grave of Richard Bourke, a 19th century Viceroy of . The church is surrounded by a small graveyard more or less rectangular in shape but with slight irregularities. There is no indication of a circular enclosure. The date of the church is not recorded but a small mural tablet in the ruins bears the date 1878. The tablet also displayed the Alymer arms and an inscription indicating that Alymers had been buried here from AD 1300 until the end of the 18th century. The graves were disturbed and levelled in 1799 and in 1901, the tablet was reported missing. Reference: SMR file

SMR No.: KD019:015 NGR: 27437/22142 Townland: Hartwell Upper Parish: Kill Barony: South Salt Classification: Castle site Description: Farmyards incorporate large walls and enclose two large rectangles originally with arched entrances now gone. To the W there are foundations of large walls enclosing a third rectangle. At the NW corner this is the remains of a tower according to the owner. There is no visible trace of a tower now. Inside the complex, there is a long building known as ‘The Kitchen’ attached to which is a small chamber known as ‘The Potato House’. Both have barrel-vaulted ceilings and could be part of a late 15th or 16th century house. The OS Letters record that ‘in Upper Hartwell townland, there was an old castle, the remains of which were converted into a farmhouse’. Reference: SMR file

SMR No.: KD019:018 NGR: 29117/22221 Townland: Kerdiffstown Parish: Kerdiffstown Barony: Naas North Classification: Mound site Description: / Reference: No SMR file

SMR No.: KD019:021 NGR: 29043/22045 Townland: Maudlins Parish: Naas Barony: Naas North Classification: Graveyard site Description: Marked on Taylor’s Map of 1783 and on subsequent OS maps. Reference: SMR file

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SMR No.: KD019:044 NGR: 29329/22340 Townland: Kill West Parish: Kill Barony: South Salt Classification: Mound site possible Description: Located in a very shallow ‘valley’ between two very low eminences. This ‘valley’ is shown on OS 6-inch map (sheet 19) as a narrow NW-SE field with a drain running through it. Surrounding land is well-drained pasture and tillage. The ‘mound’ is barely visible now. It was probed to a depth of 0.35 m and no stones were encountered. Reference: SMR file

SMR No.: KD019:045 NGR: 29386/22316 Townland: Kill West Parish: Kill Barony: South Salt Classification: Earthwork Description: A very low circular platform / enclosure (diameter 19 m; height c. 0.2 m) located in flat wettish pasture. Reference: SMR file

SMR No.: KD019:057 NGR: 29462/22248 Townland: Killhill Parish: Kill Barony: South Salt Classification: Earthwork Description: Shown on OS maps as a semi-circular embankment and can be traced with difficulty on the ground as a slight rise. This could be one half of a destroyed ringfort (original diameter c. 70 m). Located on SW slope of a hill in well-drained pasture. Reference: SMR file

SMR No.: KD020:001 NGR: 29506/22283 Townland: Killhill Parish: Kill Barony: South Salt Classification: Enclosure Description: / Reference: No SMR file

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SMR No.: KD020:002 NGR: 29528/22275 Townland: Killhill Parish: Kill Barony: South Salt Classification: Enclosure Site Description: Barrow site. Reference: SMR file

SMR No.: KD020:003 NGR: 29597/22255 Townland: Rathgorrah Parish: Kill Barony: South Salt Classification: Ringfort Description: Located in open slightly undulating but generally flat ground with Kill Hill rising to the NW. Comprises a raised circular platform 42.5 m in diameter and 3 m high except at the SW where it meets a natural undulation. A fosse is visible from W-N-ESE and measures c. 4 m wide and 1 m deep at the N. Very overgrown and used as a dump for old cars and machinery. From W to N, traces of a possible bank are visible outside the fosse, though this may simply be part of an old field boundary. Marked as a ‘moat’ on the OS maps but is a possible platform rath. Reference: SMR file

SMR No.: KD020:018 NGR: 29586/22287 Townland: Kilwarden Parish: Barony: South Salt Classification: Rock Scribing / Art Description: A fine example of rock art on a large boulder was discovered in August 1990 during field clearance works. It was located in an otherwise stone-free field on level ground and had formed part of a rough circle or arc of stones before removal. Although the possibility that the stones had formed the remains of a cairn was considered, it was concluded that the stones were unlikely to have been in their original position. Reference: SMR file

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APPENDIX 6: STRAY FINDS WITHIN THE SURROUNDING AREA

Information on artefact finds from the study area in County Kildare has been recorded by the National Museum of Ireland since the late 18th century. Location information relating to these finds is important in establishing prehistoric and historic activity in the study area.

Two sherds of 13th/14th century pottery were located in Kill village during the Urban Archaeology Survey (Bradley et al. 1986). The finds were retrieved from a cutting opposite the Parochial House and provide physical evidence for medieval settlement or activity in Kill. The nearest finds currently recorded in the topographical files of the National Museum of Ireland relate to the townlands of Hartwell Upper and Hartwell Lower (1939:487-89). These finds comprised a food vessel or urn, which was located approximately two feet beneath the ground surface, during digging works at a sand pit in Hartwell Upper to the south-east of Kill itself. A number of bones, apparently charred, were found in association. A human skull was found in an adjacent field and a bullaun stone was also located in the area.

A large assemblage of early medieval and medieval finds have also been discovered as part of the widening and Interchanges scheme from sites Blackchurch 14B, 14C and Site 48. Neolithic finds have been recovered from Steelstown and a suspected ringditch was identified at Bustyhill. Three ringditches were identified on Kill Hill one of which contained Bronze Age pottery.

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