2004:1892 - GRANNY, Kilkenny

Waterford City Council proposes to construct an 18km bypass around Waterford city, with associated link roads. The route forms part of the N25 and runs from Kilmeaden in Co. Waterford to Slieverue in Co. Kilkenny. Excavations at Sites 1 and 2 in the townland of Granny, Co. Kilkenny, were undertaken as part of pre-construction investigations of the N25 Waterford bypass. The work followed the identification of several possible archaeological features during Contract 2 testing by Catherine McLoughlin in 2003 (Excavations 2003, No. 1002, 03E0421).

Site 1
Site 1 comprised four areas opened in a field located between Chainage 10880 and 11015 along the mainline section of the proposed road. A total of 1624m2 of topsoil was stripped from the site by machine.

Area A originally measured 1102m2, with an extension covering 122m2. The truncated remains of two parallel ditches were apparent, running across the site on a north-west/south-east orientation. These formed the side or flanking ditches of an 18th-century roadway noted in Areas C and D. Several artefacts were recovered from the ditches, including oyster shell, post-medieval pottery and iron nails. Irregularly distributed around Area A were a number of truncated post-holes and shallow, irregularly shaped pits. These features did not form part of a coherent structure. A number of flint flakes and a possible chert scraper were recovered from the base of topsoil in the vicinity of these features. A large pit (c. 3m long by 1.2m wide by 0.4m deep) was excavated in the east of Area A. Two sherds of Neolithic pottery along with two well-made flint blades were recovered from the fill of this feature. The site has been provisionally interpreted as either an area of transient Neolithic settlement or the remains of a settlement that did not leave substantial archaeological remains.

Area B measured 200m2 and was opened c. 40m north-east of Area A. Two pits were excavated in this area. The varying depth of the cut of the larger pit (2.4m long by 0.95m wide by 0.35m deep) suggested that this feature originally comprised a post-hole which was truncated by a later pit. Evidence of burning in the form of oxidised clay was excavated from the upper fill of this pit. The smaller of the two pits (1.2m long by 0.9m wide and 0.35m deep) was located c. 2m north-east of the larger example. No finds were recovered from Area B.

Area C measured 100m2 and was placed with the intention of uncovering the remains of a roadway as depicted on the Richards and Scalè 1764 map of the area and the 1839 OS map. Excavation revealed a well-preserved cobbled surface that was flanked by parallel ditches of similar dimension to those noted in Area A. Finds from Area C included post-medieval pottery and corroded iron objects.

Area D measured 100m2 and was placed with the intention of exposing any extant remains of the post-medieval roadway noted above. One of the flanking ditches was identified, the other was absent and it is presumed that the northernmost ditch was either not continuous or completely truncated as a result of ploughing. A number of closely set small stone-holes which may have originally held cobbles were identified underneath the topsoil. With the exception of a fragment of post-medieval pottery recovered from the fill of the ditch, no artefacts were recovered from this area.

Site 2
Site 2 comprised a single area measuring 200m2. A truncated ditch which ran parallel to the existing N24 and adjacent to the current field fence was identified. This was interpreted as a post-medieval boundary and finds from it included the complete skeleton of a juvenile sheep or goat, snail shells and sherds of post-medieval pottery. A large, irregularly shaped shallow pit was excavated in the west of the area. The fill predominantly comprised charcoal and the cut/underlying subsoil was oxidised, suggesting that in situ burning had occurred. Finds from the pit included a clay-pipe fragment and a sherd of modern pottery.

With the exception of Areas C and D, environmental samples were taken from all archaeological features. It is thought charcoal from those retrieved from Site 1, Areas A and B, will be suitable for radiocarbon dating.

This work was undertaken under Contract 3 archaeological investigations. The project is funded by the Department of Transport under the National Development Plan 2000–2006. The total archaeological cost is administered by the National Roads Authority through Waterford City Council.

Unit 4b, Europa Enterprise Park, Midleton, Co. Cork