County: Kilkenny Site name: KILKENNY RING ROAD EXTENSION (Site F)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 03E1719
Author: Robert O’Hara, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 652251m, N 655812m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.650990, -7.227791
The project involves the extension of the N77 Kilkenny ring road from the Castlecomer Road (Chainage 0) to the north of the city to the Dublin road (Chainage 4100). Site F involved the centre-line testing of the proposed route as it passes through Baun, Bonnetsrath, Neworchard, Garrincreen, Blanchfieldsland and Leggetsrath West townlands. Four areas of archaeological potential had been identified during a paper and field-walking survey and were tested separately (Nos 984–986 and No. 1038, Excavations 2003). A trench was excavated along the centre-line of the proposed route with alternate lateral offsets every 15–25m. All trenches were mechanically excavated to subsoil. A number of apparently isolated features were noted in a number of locations along the road. There were very few artefacts recovered within the project. The recorded features are outlined below:
Bonnetsrath (Ch 425): an isolated oval-shaped hearth feature.
Neworchard (Ch 1350): an isolated circular hearth feature.
Neworchard (Ch 1750): two small isolated pit features.
Neworchard (Ch 2025): an isolated pit feature.
Garrincreen (Ch 3125): two pit features with no obvious surrounding features, yet containing a combined weight of 70g in charred seed remains, as well as charcoal and hazelnut fragments and a possible saddle quern fragment.
No significant archaeological remains were encountered within the proposed route, although further investigations may be required at some of the above sites prior to construction.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
