2005:830 - OLDCOURT, Kilkenny

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Kilkenny Site name: OLDCOURT

Sites and Monuments Record No.: KK039-070 Licence number: 05E0091

Author: Emma Devine, for Mary Henry Archaeological Services Ltd.

Site type: No archaeology found

Period/Dating: N/A

ITM: E 647669m, N 626463m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.387640, -7.299711

An assessment was requested by Kilkenny County Council at Oldcourt, Templeorum, Pilltown. The site lies adjacent to an enclosure in the townland of Oldcourt. The Irish name was ‘Shannachohir or Old Cahir or Stone Fort located on the brow of the hill overlooking Glenbower . . . Both Cahir and Court have disappeared. The ruined walls of the latter remained, to a height of a few feet, till they were uprooted, about 1825. The site is marked by a circular depression 45yds. in diameter’ (Carrigan 1905).

The stratigraphy encountered in all three test-trenches was almost identical. The topsoil was slightly deeper downslope than on the brow of the hill, which was to be expected as the field had been ploughed and soil creep also being a factor. The only evidence of earlier human activity was that of ploughing by machine and this was of no great antiquity. Nothing of archaeological significance was encountered.

Reference
Carrigan, Rev. 1905 History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory. Kilkenny.

17 Staunton Row, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary