Kildare
1999:368
MOAT COMMONS, CLANE
Vicinity of motte
N879271
98E0185
A condition of the planning permission required a site assessment before development.

The site was tested in two stages. The first stage (May 1998) tested the area closest to the field containing the motte and the northern portion of the site. The remaining trenches were excavated in September 1999.

The site fell into three sections. Trenches 1-4 were in the field closest to the public road. They showed evidence for deposition of material, presumably in an attempt to raise the original ground level, as the surface of the field appeared to have been very wet and may have been prone to flooding by the stream that runs between the field and the public road. The redeposited material was modern. In Trench 2 there was also evidence for the insertion of modern drainage pipes. These trenches were separated from the rest of the site by a public road.

Trenches 5-9 were placed in the field closest to the motte, which showed least sign of previous disturbance. The alignment of the field fence between the motte and the development site hinted at the earlier presence of an enclosing feature associated with the motte. However, the test-trenches did not show any evidence for such a feature. It is possible that the excavation of the modern field drain obliterated the remains of this feature, if such had survived. The fill of the drain was a brown clay that was consistent throughout its depth. Trenches 8 and 9, which were excavated further out in the field, produced no archaeological material.

Trenches 10-11 tested the location of the previous dwelling-house and its outhouses. In this area there was evidence for introduction of material and for excavation of pipes for drainage purposes. There was also evidence for contamination by diesel oil and for removal of the original ground surface during the demolition of the dwelling-house.

Archaeological material was not exposed in those areas where it was anticipated that it may have survived, i.e. the area closest to the motte. Archaeological strata were not exposed elsewhere in the test-trenches.
Rosanne Meenan, Roestown, Drumree, Co. Meath.

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