2004:1661 - BALLYDUFF EAST (SITE 43) AND ADAMSTOWN, Waterford

Waterford City Council proposed 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. As part of Contract 3, pre-development testing of the archaeological potential of Areas A and P, a series of trenches, were excavated within the proposed land-take of the road. A number of potential features were identified, concentrated in two areas. The first area was located to the south-east of the site, where a spread of heat-shattered stone and charcoal was identified. The second area was north-west of the site, where a circular pit filled with burnt material, a curvilinear feature, some patches of burning, a deposit of heat-shattered stone and charcoal and a small rectangular feature were recorded.

The work outlined here was undertaken at Site 43 (Area P) in the townland of Ballyduff East, Co. Waterford. A full excavation was carried out in July/August 2004 under an extension to the licence. The National Roads Authority through Waterford City Council administered the total archaeological cost.

In Area 1, on removal of topsoil, one circular pit, three irregular features, a linear feature and a small shallow deposit of heat-shattered stones were identified. The circular pit measured 1.2m in diameter and 0.29m in depth. Its fill was heat-shattered stone with a large amount of charcoal. The shallow deposit of heat-shattered stones and charcoal is likely to have been associated with the pit. The three irregular features contained silty material with occasional flecks of charcoal near the surface. A linear feature immediately west of the circular pit was c. 6m long, 0.65m wide and 0.32m deep. Its fill was sterile grey sandy clay.

In Area 2, on removal of topsoil, two fulachta fiadh were identified. The southernmost of the burnt mounds measured 9m in diameter. It was a shallow spread of heat-shattered stone and charcoal overlying an oval-shaped trough. The trough measured 1.85m by 1.3m and was 0.5m deep. The second fulacht fiadh, situated further north, was irregular in plan and measured c. 30m north-south and 15m wide.

Modern drains truncated the mound. The fulacht fiadh comprised seven troughs, four pits, five irregular features, a hearth and stake-holes, as well as their associated mound deposits.

One of the troughs was almost square in plan and measured 1.6m north-south by 1.43m wide and 0.5m deep. The flat base had six wide planks lining it. The sides may also have been lined, as five fragments of timber were overlying the base planks. A thin layer of sand lay between the side and base timbers, suggesting that the side timbers had slumped in. Plank holes were also identified. A saddle quern and rubbing stone were found in a fill overlying the timbers. On preliminary identification, both the saddle quern and the rubbing stone appear to be made from quartzite. The saddle quern is 0.64m long, 0.35m wide and 0.11-0.08m thick. The loaf-shaped rubbing stone is 0.37m long and 0.12m wide. Located centrally on the rubbing stone is a small incised depression (93mm long and 18mm wide). An oval-shaped pit was identified below the clay supporting the timbers. This pit measured 0.5m southwest/north-east by 0.38m wide and was 0.75m deep. It contained eight distinct fills, comprising layers of sand, redeposited natural and stone. It appeared to be deliberately backfilled.

A large rectangular trough, with associated hearth and stake-holes, was situated immediately west of the timber-lined trough and most probably post-dates it. This trough measured 2.7m north-south by 1.8m wide and 0.85m deep.

The remaining troughs were less substantial. The pits identified were irregular in plan and some contained sterile fills. A number of large piped drains and stone drains truncated the site. These were backfilled with the fulacht fiadh material. As well as the saddle quern and rubbing stone, two flints (a possible scraper and flake), three unidentified stone objects, corroded metal and fragments of a clay pipe were found on this site.