2005:790 - VARIOUS, Kilkenny

Test-trenching was carried out as part of an assessment along a stretch of c. 40km of the proposed N8 road improvement scheme from Cullahill, Co. Laois, to Cashel, Co. Tipperary. Testing took the form of centre-line trenching, with alternate 90° offsets at 20m intervals. The trenches were 1.8–2m wide. A total of 59 sites were identified in counties Tipperary and Kilkenny (see No. 1388, Excavations 2005, for Tipperary sites). Thirteen of these were isolated features and were fully resolved during test excavation.

Islands
Burnt mound
228125.94 164504.57
A027/014
Prior to testing, the site was visible as a low mound. Testing revealed a large burnt mound 17m by 20m.

Islands
Hearth pit
228211.48 164385.46
A027/014
This isolated hearth pit was 0.62m in diameter and 0.2m deep. It had a U-shaped profile and was fire-reddened. It was filled by a deposit of black/brown silty clay that contained frequent charcoal flecks.

Islands
Burnt mound
228429.62 164969.36
A027/014
This site consisted of a large burnt mound that measured 16m north–south by 17m. The mound was composed of dark black/brown sandy silt that contained large amounts of heat-affected stone and charcoal.

Islands
Burnt mound
228479.55 165120.89
A027/014
This site consisted of a burnt mound, 13.5m by 15m.

Warrenstown
Burnt mound
228579.42 165363.52
A027/014
This burnt mound was identified to the south-east of a stream. It measured 20m by 18m and extended beyond the road-take to the east.
Kara Ward, Margaret Gowen and Co. Ltd, 27 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.

Foulkscourt
Burnt mound
228753.77 166446.93
A027/015
This site consisted of a small burnt mound 10.5m by 7m.

Foulkscourt
Burnt spread
229112.04 167372.68
A027/015
A large burnt spread 15.1m south-west to north-east by 20m was revealed beneath 0.25m of dark brown/black peaty topsoil. The spread consisted of black, charcoal-rich silt with inclusions of small burnt and fire-cracked stones. The spread thins out towards the edges, where it is visible only as stained natural clay. Only a small amount of the spread remains, the topmost part having been destroyed by ploughing. More concentrated areas of the spread may mark the location of a possible trough and pits.
Three linear features, 1m long and 0.3m wide, situated 4m west of the burnt spread, may be associated with activity surrounding the spread. Two linear features orientated north-west/south-east and cutting the burnt spread at its southern end were identified as later plough furrows.

Foulkscourt
Burnt spread
229151.76 167421.08
A027/015
A large burnt spread, 11.5m south-east to north-west by 21.5m, was situated beneath 0.08–0.2m of dark brown/black peaty topsoil. The spread consisted of a black, charcoal-rich silt with inclusions of small burnt and fire-cracked stones. The spread thins out towards the edges, where it is visible only as stained natural clay. The mound is clearly visible within the landscape of the field 1m to the north-west of the centre-line of the road-take. A later plough furrow orientated east–west cut through the south-eastern fringes of the mound.

Foulkscourt
Burnt spread
229144.32 167472.29
A027/015
A small burnt spread, 4.5m by 7m, consisted of black, charcoal-rich silt with inclusions of small burnt and fire-cracked stones. The spread thins out towards the edges, where it is visible only as stained natural clay.
Two linear features orientated east–west and measuring 0.3m were identified as later plough furrows, one of which cut the burnt spread at its northern edge.

Foulkscourt
Post-holes
229338.05 167543.62
A027/015
Two small post-holes were found, 0.25m in diameter and 0.5m apart. A half-section through the eastern and more regular post-hole revealed a depth of around 0.2m filled with a yellow/grey silt and tightly packed small stones which became less frequent towards the base. Patches of orange/brown clay were present towards the base of the fill.
Sinéad Phelan, Margaret Gowen and Co. Ltd, 27 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.

Rathlogan
Limekiln
231364.01 169768.13
A027/016
A large oval mound, 20m by 8.5m and a maximum of 2.2m in height, was examined. The western side of the mound contained a chamber made of roughly hewn limestone blocks defined by a stone arch. The interior of this chamber was filled with old fertiliser bags and other types of farm waste, while the arch was partially obscured by a pile of concrete breezeblocks. The form and plan of this feature suggests that it is the remains of a limekiln.

Rathlogan
Pit
231397.45 169845.86
A027/016
This site consisted of a subcircular pit that measured 0.7m in length, 0.5m in width and 0.1m in depth. The area around the pit was stripped back, but no other features were identified and the pit was excavated under the testing licence. It was filled by dark-grey/brown sandy clay that contained frequent flecks of charcoal and occasional fragments of iron slag.

Glashare
Building?
232284.97 171022.50
A027/046
This site was located to the south of Glashare Stream. Prior to testing, it was visible as two parallel linear mounds of earth and stone. They measured 8m by 0.8m in width and were roughly 8.5m apart. Testing revealed that the southern mound was the base of a crudely made mud-bonded stone wall sealed by topsoil. The area between the two linear mounds contained a rough surface of mortar and stone. No finds were recovered from this site. The original function of this structure remains uncertain. The EIS does not describe any cartographic information relating to a building at this location and the second-edition OS map, dated 1900, does not depict any building at this location. It might represent the badly degraded remains of a vernacular building or part of a disused laneway.

Glashare
Burnt mound
232377.54 171016.23
A027/046
This site was located 3m to the south of the Glashare Stream. It consisted of a small burnt mound that measured 7m in length by 7m in width. The mound was composed of dark black/brown sandy silt that contained large amounts of heat-affected stone and charcoal.

Glashare
Burnt mound
232395.92 171052.75
A027/046
This site was located roughly 15m to the north of the Glashare Stream. Prior to testing, it was visible as a low mound. Testing revealed a large burnt mound that measured 20m by 18m. It was composed of black/brown silty sand that contained large amounts of heat-affected stone.

Glashare
Burnt mound
232406.60 171069.52
A027/046
This site was located roughly 30m north of Glashare Stream and 15m north of another burnt mound. Prior to testing, it was visible as a low mound. Testing revealed a mound 20m by 18m composed of dark black/brown sandy silt that contained large amounts of heat-affected stone and charcoal.

Glashare
Pit
232387.26 171147.20
A027/016
This site was located to the north of Glashare Stream. It consisted of a circular pit with two protruding linear offshoots. One of the offshoots was in a south-west direction, while the other was in a south-east direction. The pit measured 0.85m in diameter and was filled by grey/black charcoal-rich silty clay. A small box-section revealed that the pit was only 0.06m in depth. The two offshoots measured 1m in length by 0.3m in width. They were both filled with grey/black silty clay that contained frequent charcoal flecks. The sides of the two offshoots were fire-reddened, suggesting in situ burning. The plan and form of this feature suggests that it is a kiln.

27 Merrion Square, Dublin 2