County: Limerick Site name: RATHCANNON (BGE 3/76/19–20)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E0497
Author: Kate Taylor and Liam McKinstry, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: Linear earthwork and Pit
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 558211m, N 634888m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.463840, -8.614960
This site was examined as part of Bord Gáis Éireann’s Pipeline to the West. It was on a north-east-facing slope below Rathcannon Castle, which lies 450m to the south-west, at the summit of the hill. The site was on a slight plateau where the gradient was less steep than in surrounding areas. A series of low earthworks indicating a derelict field system lies across the lower slopes of the hill, including the area of the site.
Although an area of 270m2 was delimited, much of this had been destroyed by machine activity before excavation, and it was not possible to relate all of the elements of the site. Nine cut features and two spreads were recorded. The eastern part of the site showed a series of stratified remains with three phases of activity. The features in the western area could not be assigned to these phases but are thought to be broadly contemporaneous.
The earliest phase in the eastern part of the site was represented by two small pits, a short length of gully and a small spread of material. These were followed by a curvilinear gully that cut several of the earlier features. Covering all of these deposits was an earthen bank, also visible in the adjacent fields, an element of the surrounding abandoned field system. No associated ditch was evident, but this may be due to modern truncation of the area.
The western features could not be assigned to any phase, but it is probable that they were related to the eastern features. There were five pits in this area. Two small, isolated pits contained silty fills including a moderate amount of animal bone and a small piece of iron slag.
The remaining pits, however, appeared to have had an industrial purpose. They were distinctively circular, with deep bowl-shaped profiles, and the fills contained high quantities of burnt stone, charcoal and ash-like material. There was also, in one case, evidence of in situ burning. Finds from these pits were a large quantity of animal bone and a piece of what appeared to be metalworking residue, probably lead run-off.
Although no directly datable artefacts were recovered, the fresh appearance of the animal bone collected from all phases and areas of the site suggests that the material is late medieval or post-medieval. The limited evidence of metalworking is curious as it suggests an industrial element to the activity, in contrast to the domestic appearance of the animal bone assemblage. Analysis of the residues will allow greater interpretation of the industrial activities. It is also hoped that further research will provide information on the date of the field system and hence the features lying below the earthen bank.
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