Aerial Archaeology
About this section
This section contains details of submissions I have made to the national Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) compiled by the National Monuments Service. The purpose of this research is to identify previously unrecorded potential archaeological features on the landscape. It is important that all potential archaeological features are registered on the RMP in order to afford them some level of protection and ensure they are investigated prior to any development that may have an impact upon their integrity.
The research was carried out using various techniques including the utilisation of online resources such as maps, remote satellite and aerial imagery, LiDAR imagery, and the study of topographical features in the landscape. Once a feature is identified that may represent an area of archaeological interest, I notify the National Monuments Service of its location and nature. If they deem the features identified are of sufficient interest and potentially represent archaeology, the site will be added to the RMP list.
The majority of the features I have reported represent potential enclosures that are likely to have been farmsteads, most likely of early medieval date. These occasionally have what appear to be related boundaries – possibly associated with field systems. One submitted entry was classed solely as a field system. The second largest group of features discovered are ring-ditches; a monument type most often associated with Bronze Age burials. A small number of features have been identified as possible examples of the related broad monument type, barrows.
All the entries posted here have already been reported to the National Monuments Service and listed on the RMP. Most of the sites I have submitted to the RMP are not uploaded to this site as of yet, but will be added and brought up-to-date as time allows. I have quite a number of potential sites still to report, and if they are added to the RMP they will be added here also.
Temple Carragh
Temple Carragh, Jigginstown, Naas, Co. Kildare Situated in the townland of Jigginstown, on a pasture rise opposite the seventeenth century ruins of Jigginstown House, lies the ruin of a tiny church known as Temple Carragh. The names would suggest an early medieval date for this structure. …. This research was carried out to establish if…
KILLASHEE (KD024-070—-)
Earthwork Killashee This feature was discovered in June 2021 while reviewing LiDAR imagery provided online by the OPW. It was reported to the National Monuments Service and subsequently classed as an Earthwork. The location of the feature is significant as it is situated on a low rise immediately south of the Early Medieval ecclesiastical site…
CLONAGH (KD003-047—-)
Enclosure CLONAGH This previously unrecorded potential enclosure was discovered in February 2020 using Google Earth imagery. It was reported to the National Monuments Service and was allocated monument number KD003-047—- and classed as an enclosure. The perfectly circular enclosure appears very faint on the Google Earth imagery for 2018. This feature has the appearance and…
KILLYBEGS DEMESNE (KD013-036—-)
Enclosure KILLYBEGS DEMESNE A potential trivallate enclosure, visible as a series of semicircular cropmarks, was discovered in March 2019 using Google Earth imagery. This was reported to the National Monuments Service in April 2019 and allocated the monument number KD013-036—-, and classed as an enclosure. The cropmarks appear in imagery from 2013 and 2018 and…
GRAIGUES (KD013-035—-)
Enclosure GRAIGUES A circular crop mark was discovered in March 2019 using Google Earth imagery. This was reported to the National Monuments Service in April 2019 and allocated monument number KD013-035—-, and classed as an enclosure. There appears to be a possible associated field system to the north of the enclosure. ENTRY FROM THE HISTORIC…
TIMAHOE WEST (KD009-048—-)
Enclosure TIMAHOE WEST This previously unrecorded potential enclosure was discovered in March 2019 using Google Earth imagery. It was reported to the National Monuments Service in April 2019. It was allocated monument number KD009-048—- and classed as an enclosure. It is not very clearly defined and may represent elements of a field system rather than…
TIMAHOE EAST (KD009-047—-)
Enclosure – large enclosure TIMAHOE EAST This previously unrecorded enclosure with associated cropmarks was discovered in March 2019 using Google Earth imagery. It was reported to the National Monuments Service in April 2019 and was allocated monument number KD009-047—- and classed as an enclosure – large enclosure. This is one of the more interesting of…
COOLCARRIGAN (KD009-046—-)
Enclosure COOLCARRIGAN This previously unrecorded enclosure and associated field system was discovered in March 2019 using Google Earth imagery. It was reported to the National Monuments Service in April 2019 and was allocated monument number KD009-046—- and classed as an enclosure. There are clear crop marks of an associated field system surrounding the central enclosure….
FORENAGHTS GREAT (KD019-077—-)
Enclosure FORENAGHTS GREAT This previously unrecorded enclosure was discovered in November 2018 using Google Earth imagery. It was reported to the National Monuments Service in March 2019. It was allocated monument number KD019-077—- and classed as an enclosure. Very faint on the Google Earth imagery, the location was later checked on LiDAR imagery provided online…
Digital Imaging (3) Earthwork (1) Enclosure (8) Field-System (2) High Cross (1) LiDAR (1) Mapping (1) Ringfort (3)