Following a desk study and initial surveys, the monitoring of topsoil removal prior to the construction of a BGE gas pipeline from Hollybrook (outside Bray) to Wicklow town led to the discovery of some twenty-one previously unknown archaeological sites, mostly dating to the Bronze Age.
One location, in the townland of Kilmurry North, produced the remains of an 11.50 m diameter round house dating to the period c.2000-1500 BC. The structure survived as an 8.50 m diameter ring of roofing posts, a central hearth and a circular foundation trench, which had contained an outer wall of wicker and daub. At around 105 square metres, or 1,150 square feet, this was quite a substantial building (and would fetch about £400,000 at today's prices). It had no windows, with light mainly provided by the fire and the doorway, which faced towards the southeast.
Evidence of diet and economy was rare, despite the size of the house. Only rough flint tools and coarse pottery were recovered, although charred wheat and barley were retrieved from samples processed off site after the excavation was completed.
