2003:1082 - MORETT (Site Q), Laois

Excavation took place in advance of the M7 Heath–Mayfield Motorway Scheme (Monasterevin Bypass) within the townland of Morett, Co. Laois. Testing as a result of centre-line stripping indicated a linear feature with occasional charcoal flecks, along with two possible post-holes, excavated by R. Ó Maoldúin (No. 1052, Excavations 2003, 03E0128). An area of up to 5m surrounding each of the trenches containing the features was exposed with machine assistance. A full excavation was carried out during early June 2003. The site was in a natural hollow of arable land.

Two cuttings were opened, one either side of the centre-line strip. Cutting 1, on the southern side, measured c. 8m by 8m. Topsoil consisted of a light-brown silty clay with a depth varying between 0.25 and 0.45m. The linear charcoal feature measured 2.65m long, 0.35m wide and 0.05m deep. It was truncated on its northern and southern sides by furrows, which were orientated east–west. The fill consisted of a loosely compacted brown/grey sandy silt with 5–10% intermittent charcoal flecks. This feature was of a natural occurrence and of no archaeological significance.

Cutting 2, on the northern side of the centre-line strip, measured c. 16.3m by 11m. There were c. sixteen plough furrows recorded, filled by a dark-brown silty sand. A circular pit was located at the southern end of this cutting. It was a steep-sided, flat-based, U-shaped feature measuring 0.5m by 0.5m by 0.2m. The fill consisted of a mottled sandy silt with c. 1% charcoal flecks. This pit truncated a plough furrow on its northern side, indicating a late date. No finds were recorded from the pit, which appears to be of no archaeological significance. A series of natural features and cavities were also recorded within this cutting. The majority of the features were cut into a mottled orange/brown mix of gravelly sand and silty clay.

Brehon House, Kilkenny Road, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny