2005:902 - 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 13 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 13 was located to the south of Cullahill Lane and continued south-westwards to the N8 Cork–Dublin road, where it terminated. It was located between Chainage 11500 and 10480 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.

Four archaeological sites were identified in the area.

Parknahown 1 consisted of a drystone structure, which measured c. 6m by 6m and contained an internal pit. The structure may represent a dwelling, considering the retrieval of pottery finds from the vicinity of the walls. It is probable that much of this structure was removed during agricultural practices in recent times. The pottery suggests that the structure is either late medieval or very early post-medieval and may represent a transitional site. This structure was not depicted on the first-edition OS map for this area.

Parknahown 2 consisted of a circular ditched enclosure measuring c. 45m in diameter and 1m in depth with a number of associated features, including a large pit containing cremated bone and slag and a number of possible slot-trenches. Slot trench F37 was north-west/south-east orientated and measured 0.4m in width and 0.3m in depth. Its sides were cut vertically and it had a flat base. A second possible slot-trench F39 was detected within Trench 103. This was north-east/south-west orientated and may have represented part of the return of F37. It measured 0.36m in width and reached a depth of 0.4m. The cut for this feature had a sharp break of slope with vertical sides and a stony base.

This site may represent a settlement enclosed for defensive purposes. The finds do not establish the exact function or date and may represent an Iron Age or early medieval site. The slag, however, suggests domestic/industrial activity and the pit from which it was retrieved revealed evidence of in situ burning, which may reflect disposal of domestic refuse.

At Parknahown 3, the circular ditched enclosure located just north of Cullahill Lane measured c. 40m in diameter and was only partially located within the road-take. The cut for the enclosure measured 2.8m in width and reached a depth of 1.1m. It had a sharp break of slope with sloped sides and a concave base. Associated features included a small pit with cremated bone and a probable modern linear feature. The pit containing the cremated bone, however, was located outside of the enclosure towards its south-western extent. No internal features were identified within the enclosure.

The pits, post-holes and curvilinear feature located at Parknahown 4 are separated into two concentrations. Both contain post-holes that appear to be badly truncated. The concentration of features to the eastern end of the field is apparently domestic and the retrieval of Neolithic pottery from one of the five pits confirms this. These features were very shallow in places. The second concentration of features may be associated with the former, due to their proximity to them. These features may represent a hut or outhouse in association with the domestic activity close by. No finds were retrieved from this second concentration of features.

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