2005:901 - PARKNAHOWN, Laois

An assessment was carried out in advance of the proposed M7 Portlaoise–Castletown/M8 Portlaoise–Cullahill motorway scheme between February and June 2005. The work was carried out on behalf of Laois County Council and the National Roads Authority. The section described in this report is Testing Area 12 of Contract 1. Contract 1 of the project incorporated the Portlaoise–Cullahill section of the scheme, consisting of c. 14km of motorway, which extends from Aghaboe to south of Cullahill through the townlands from Gortnaclea to Oldtown. Testing Area 12 was located to the south of the River Goul and north of Cullahill Lane. It was located between Chainage 11500 and 12100 of the proposed scheme. The assessment methodology generally consisted of mechanically excavating a 2.15m-wide test-trench along the centre-line, with perpendicular offset trenches extending to the edge of the land-take. One archaeological site was identified in the area.

Parknahown 5 contained a large number of archaeological features, including two and a possible third burial within a double-ditched enclosure, a number of pits, post-holes and linear features, two fulachta fiadh spreads and a second concentration of pits and post-holes outside of the enclosure.

A cluster of features was exposed within Trench 22 in Field 32. In total five pits and eight post-holes were exposed. These features contained a high organic content and may represent domestic activity, although no finds were retrieved to substantiate this. It is probable that further features exist within their vicinity.

A large number of features were exposed in the northern portion of Field 32. These included a double-ditched enclosure that extended into Field 33, a possible large curvilinear ditch that extended into Field 34 and a spread of linear features and pits. The enclosure was roughly circular and entered Field 32 through the eastern field boundary from Field 33, where it curved northwards and was eventually cut by another possible large curving ditch. Approximately 50% of these enclosures were located within the road-take and their external diameter measured 70m. The upper fill of the internal ditch F30 was loose mid-brown silty clay with occasional animal bone, charcoal and sub-angular stones. Its cut measured 3.5m in width and reached a depth of over 1m. Its sides were steep with a sharp break of slope at the top and a concave base. The external ditch respected F30 and was located c. 1m from the inner ditch. The cut for the ditch was curvilinear, with steep sides, a sharp break of slope at the top and a concave base. This ditch measured 2.2m in width and reached a depth of 1m. A number of pits, linear features and possible post-holes were revealed scattered across the interior of the inner enclosure and may represent settlement evidence.

Two burials were located at the eastern end of Trench 44 within Field 33. Both were orientated north-east/south-west and were located just over 1m apart. A possible cist burial was also noted at the south-eastern extent of Burial 2. The two inhumations were c. 0.25m below ground level. Burial 1 was located to the south of Burial 2. The fill consisted of loose mid-brown silty clay with occasional small stones. The cut measured 2.2m by 0.4m and was cut into natural. The fill of Burial 2 consisted of loose mid- to dark-brown silty clay with occasional stones. The cut measured 2.2m by 0.4m. Part of the north-eastern extent of this burial continued beneath the baulk of the trench. A curvilinear feature was revealed to the west of the burials and may represent a smaller enclosure relating to the burial site. Test excavation ceased within this area, due to the high potential for the discovery of further human remains.

A small portion of a burnt mound was exposed within Trench 51 in Field 34. This consisted of loose dark-brown/black silt with 70% heat-shattered sandstones. This spread measured 20m by 4m. It reached a depth of 0.4m and rested directly on natural. A second small burnt-mound spread was located within Trench 53. It consisted of loose dark-brown/black silty clay with occasional flecks of charcoal and frequent heat-shattered sandstone. This feature measured 4m in width and reached a maximum depth of 0.3m. It extended beneath the northern and southern baulk of the trench.

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