County: Waterford Site name: KINSALEBEG
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 05E0594 AND EXT.
Author: John Tierney, Eachtra Archaeological Projects, Ballycurreen Industrial Estate, Kinsale Road, Cork.
Site type: Possible clay extraction pits
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 613109m, N 579709m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.969295, -7.809216
Test excavations were undertaken at Kinsalebeg, Piltown, and features uncovered during testing and subsequent monitoring were then excavated under an extension to the licence. There were two areas of archaeology in the north-west corner of the site. Area 1 is near the western site boundary and Area 2 is located further to the east; the two areas together measure 95m east–west by 50m. They appear to represent the same types of activities and the features in both areas are very morphologically similar.
Eight pits have been excavated in Area 1, as well as one possible pit in Area 2. Given the irregular morphology, lack of artefacts and large size of these pits (average dimensions 2.44m by 1.7m by 0.24m), it is tentatively suggested that they were excavated for the purpose of clay extraction. Pockets of a light-pinkish-grey clay occurred extensively on the development; some of these were found to be archaeological in nature, some with charcoal and shell inclusions, and more were deemed natural occurrences. It appears that the purest clay was being extracted and the pits then backfilled with natural sediment, which had become mixed with charcoal and subsoil before backfilling. Stake-holes excavated near these pits, and others excavated into the base and sides of the pits, may have been intended to mark the location of the best clay. Two possible post-holes may have been larger markers. The provenance of the spreads excavated is not clear; they may represent silting up of natural hollows.
These pits seem to have been rapidly excavated over a short period of time. As no artefacts, hearths or structures were uncovered, this was not a habitation site. It is possible that the creation of a nearby Anglo-Norman borough in Kinsalebeg parish (Bradley et al. 1989, 60) required large quantities of clay, perhaps sourced from this site. Bradley (ibid.) lists a site in Kinsalebeg parish as one of seven Anglo-Norman boroughs in County Waterford. The two most likely sites for the location of the deserted medieval borough settlement are centred on the castle to the north in Piltown or in the vicinity of Prospecthall townland, south-west of the development site.
Bibliography
Bradley, J., Halpin, A. and King, H. 1989 Urban archaeological survey Part XIII (i), County Waterford. Unpublished Office of Public Works report.
