County: Laois Site name: TRUMRA
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A015/49
Author: Aidan O’Connell, for Archaeological Services Consultancy Ltd.
Site type: Charcoal-making site
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 638105m, N 691791m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.975524, -7.432640
Testing Area 8 of the M7 Portlaoise–Castletown/M8 Portlaoise–Cullahill motorway scheme was identified as being an area of archaeological potential, as it was located along a bog margin. The assessment involved the mechanical excavation of 27 test-trenches. These had a combined length of 1178.41 linear metres, resulting in a total excavated area of 2533.58m2, or c. 10.66% of the total area (23,778m2). The testing area is situated in the townland of Trumra at Chainage 27100–27150. Testing Area 8 consisted of four separate fields: Fields 271–4.
A single archaeological feature was recorded in the assessment of this area. It consisted of a charcoal-production pit located in Field 273. This has been designated Trumra 1. As there were no additional features recorded in the vicinity, the pit was excavated in full.
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