2005:796 - CHRISTENDOM/NEWTOWN/RATHCULLIHEEN/KILMURRAY, Kilkenny

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Kilkenny Site name: CHRISTENDOM/NEWTOWN/RATHCULLIHEEN/KILMURRAY

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 05E0517

Author: Ken Wiggins, Judith Carroll & Co. Ltd, 13 Anglesea Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.

Site type: Monitoring

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 660541m, N 612941m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.264840, -7.113066

Construction works for the Waterford main drainage scheme were monitored between 1 June and 21 December. The work related to Contract 1 and was confined to the north of the River Suir, in Co. Kilkenny. Topsoil-stripping was monitored in Christendom townland, but no features or deposits of archaeological significance were found.
Topsoil-stripping in Newtown townland from 6 to 10 June revealed three features of archaeological significance, all in the same field. Site 1 was a hearth measuring 1.3m by 1.05m by up to 0.4m deep. It had three discernible layers, including charcoal, but there were no artefacts. Site 2 was a charcoal pit measuring 1.05m by 0.5m. Site 3 comprised a hearth measuring 1.5m by 1.2m and up to 0.4m deep, but there were no artefacts. All three were excavated under the monitoring licence between 22 June and 4 July. After a lengthy break in groundwork, monitoring of pipe-laying work was carried out in November and December. No features or deposits of archaeological significance were found. Construction work relating to Contract 2, south of the River Suir, in Co. Waterford, is expected to proceed in 2006.