County: Laois Site name: BALLYDAVIS
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E0856
Author: Deirdre Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Pit and Structure
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 649789m, N 698014m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.030487, -7.257723
Excavation of eight archaeological features in advance of construction of the M7 Heath–Mayfield motorway scheme was carried out at Ballydavis 2, Ballydavis townland, Co. Laois. This previously unrecorded site was noted during monitoring by Jonathan Dempsey of topsoil (Excavations 2003, No. 1051, 03E0623). The excavated features comprised the truncated remains of three post-holes, four pits and a stake-hole. The fill of the features generally contained charcoal staining, indicating that the material was subjected to burning. The lack of oxidisation on the base and sides of the pits and postholes indicates that burning did not take place in situ. Ballydavis 2 may have been associated with the prehistoric burial complex to the west, also in Ballydavis townland, excavated by Grace Fegan (Excavations 2003, No. 1053, 03E0151). Post-excavation analysis of the charcoal samples should provide a radiocarbon date for these features and help place this site in its archaeological context.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
