2001:653 - KILMACREDOCK UPPER, Kildare

Site 9 was found during monitoring of topsoil-stripping of the Northern Link on the Celbridge Interchange (see Excavations 2001, No. 610). The scheme was approximately 4km in length and ran through gently undulating land with a mixture of arable, pasture and woodland from Celbridge to Leixlip. The southern part of the scheme runs through an area heavily influenced by 18th-century landscape design with avenues, woodland and tree-lined field boundaries centred on the early 18th-century house at Castletown. This site lay within the boundary of the deerpark of Castletown.

The site can be divided into three phases. Phase 1a is represented by the many post- and stake-holes cutting the natural subsoil and the large spread of burnt material C5, Phase 1b is the pit C65 that cuts C5, and Phase 2 is the linear cut running through the western part of the site.

Eighty-two contexts were identified in Phase 1a, comprising pits, post-holes, stake-holes and a large spread of burnt material. The majority were concentrated in the eastern sector of the site. A smaller concentration was found in the western sector. The large spread of material C5 continued under the northern baulk. Further features are probably located outside the road-take to the north.

The post- and stake-holes in the eastern sector of the site formed an ‘L’ shape and probably represent the southern and eastern sides of a structure or windbreak which continued into the northern baulk. The many post-holes, and in some cases double post-holes, suggest that the walls were repaired on occasions. A shallow slot-trench between two post-holes in the southern wall suggests that a wattle screen may have formed part of the wall. The two post-holes C20 and C25 were stepped as if they had some form of support on one side. A pit, C59, 0.6m by 0.45m and 0.13–0.16m deep with vertical sides on the south, east and west and slightly convex on the north, was 0.6m to the north of the southern line of post-holes. It contained two fills, C70 and C69. C70 was the primary fill, a loose material 50–80mm deep with at least 60% cremated bone. Over this was C69, also a loose material but with only occasional cremated bone. The only artefact found on site was found in this deposit. It was a saddle quern, found grinding-side down in the western side of the fill. The fills of the pit were sampled for analysis. Closer examination of the quernstone’s surface may indicate whether it was used to grind the cremated bone found in the pit. Perhaps it was used to grind bone for use as temper in pottery or another industrial process, or was used to grind cremated human bone as part of a ceremonial activity. Analysis of the bone will hopefully indicate whether it is human or animal.

Two large post-holes, C8 and C61, were found in the south-western corner of the site. C8 was 0.26m in diameter and 0.4m deep. It had a peculiar lip about one third of the way down on the western side. It had two fills, C37 and C36. C61 was 2.2m to the south-east. It was oval, 0.3m by 0.25m and 0.3m in maximum depth, and was filled with C13. It also had a lip but about 50mm down on its western side. The deeper part of the post-hole was D-shaped in plan. The other features in the western area were stake-holes. Two pits, C34 and C50, were located along the southern baulk.

The largest deposit on site was C5, a spread of silty clay with a moderate amount of charcoal and frequent burnt stone, 0.24m deep. The burnt stone was concentrated in the centre. The spread continued under the northern baulk beyond the limit of excavation. It had the appearance of fulacht fiadh material.

Phase 1b is represented by the pit C65 in the northern area of the site. It cut the large spread C5 to the east and continued into the northern baulk. The excavated section was oval, 0.8m by 0.38m and 0.56m deep. It was filled with C66, which was truncated by C3, the linear cut to the west. It has been named ‘1b’ because even though it is stratigraphically later than C5 it is probably not unrelated.

Phase 2 is represented by the linear cut C3, which cut through the western part of the site in a north-easterly direction and truncated the western side of the pit C65. It was 5.3m in length in the excavated area, but continued into the northern and western baulks, was 0.55m wide and 0.29m deep. Its sides were concave and its base flat. It may have been a field drain as it is too narrow and shallow to have been a field boundary ditch.

Discussion and conclusion
The discovery of burnt mound-type material during monitoring suggested that this site was a fulacht fiadh. No trough or hearth was found in the excavated area but since the site continues to the north this interpretation cannot be discounted. The large post-holes C8 and C61 in the west of the site had a structural appearance and may have been part of a larger structure incorporating the L-shaped feature in the east, or may have been a separate structure or fence line. Both the burnt mound material C5, the pit C59 and the quernstone suggest that some kind of industrial activity took place on site. Specialist analysis of the soil samples, saddle quern and bone will give further insight into the function and date of this site.

Wood Road, Cratloekeel, Cratloe, Co. Clare