2005:076 - BUSHERSTOWN, Carlow

This report deals with the results of testing of Area 2 of Archaeological Services Contract 3, N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford Scheme: Kilcullen to Powerstown. Area 2 ran from Russellstown to Moyle Big townlands. Fourteen areas of archaeological significance were identified (Sites 1–14: A021/016–29, see Nos 54 and 70–75 above and Nos 77–78 and 97–100 below). This site at Busherstown was located within the same field as A021/025 (see No. 75 above), c. 120m to the south, and comprised another fulacht fiadh along with a possible enclosing ditch. The fulacht fiadh was substantial in extent and was identified in the centre-line trench and in two opposing offset trenches. It was c. 10.5m wide and was truncated at the south by a post-medieval field drain. The material was consistent with that excavated at other fulachta fiadh sites; i.e. dark-brown–black sandy clay with a high charcoal and heat-shattered stone content. A sondage excavated through the material revealed a depth of 0.37m for the mound. Beside the western limit of the mound material was a possible metalled surface. No troughs were identifiable within the deposit, but it is more than likely that these are located under the charcoal and stone matrix or in the area outside the excavated test-trenches. The possible metalled surface extended for 1.5m and comprised an unevenly compacted deposit of small stones and pebbles set into the underlying silty clay subsoil. The fulacht fiadh at this site appears to be located within a hollow in the field, which may account for its survival following a long period of intensive ploughing and related agricultural activities at this location. No datable artefacts were recovered from the feature.
Excavation 25m south of the fulacht fiadh uncovered the remains of two sections of a curvilinear ditch. This ran at an angle, broadly orientated north-west/south-east, through the trench. The eastern section entered the trench 16.7m from the centre-line and extended diagonally across the trench for a distance of 2.6m before it culminated in a clearly defined terminus. The second (western) section of the ditch was uncovered 1.5m north-west of this and again comprised a well-defined terminus and extended for 2.5m, continuing underneath the baulk of the trench. The ditch was 0.8m in average width, 0.25–3m deep, with steeply sloping sides and a V-shaped profile. It was filled by compact mid-grey silty clay with occasional pieces of charcoal and small stones. Further along the centre-line trench a ditch similar in morphology and dimension was uncovered. This V-shaped ditch bisected the trench on an east–west axis and was 0.7m in width and 0.25m in depth. The fill was mid-grey silty clay with occasional charcoal and small stones. Two struck and worked flint flakes, which refitted to form the base of a possible prehistoric stone artefact, were retrieved from the fill of the ditch. The similarity between all these sections of ditch, along with the fact that they appear to form an alignment, led the excavators to surmise that they comprised the same feature.