2006:967 - LONGSTONE, Kildare

This site was identified during monitoring (05E1103) in November 2005, part of the archaeological requirement for Contract 2 of the Kildare water strategy. The water system between Ballymore Eustace and Old Kilcullen is being upgraded. This area encompasses parts of the east Kildare uplands and the plains of central and southern Kildare. It consists largely of agricultural lands, both pasture and tillage, in gently rolling countryside. The environment is rich in monuments from various periods, dating back as far as the Neolithic period.

Five cuts filled with burnt-mound material were on this site. These would have served as troughs or cooking pits. There was no evidence for the burnt mound itself. The remains of it may survive beneath the surface of the ground outside the wayleave. If this is the case, the burnt mound has become flattened out over time, as there is no surviving evidence of it visible at surface level.

There were five trough features in the south-eastern part of this site. These were located near each other. The most westerly was a roughly circular cut with sloped sides and a flat base. The base dipped slightly towards the south. The cut was 2.1m long, 1.9m wide and 0.34m deep. This feature contained two fills. The primary fill was loosely compacted dark-grey silty sand with very frequent fire-cracked stones and occasional flecks of charcoal. This fill was 0.33m deep and sealed 0.01m of loose light-grey silty sand interface between the main fill of the cut.

A second trough was located to the east, and slightly north, of this. It was also roughly circular in plan with sloped sides. Here again the base was mostly flat, though this time it dipped slightly towards the east. This cut was 1.5m in diameter and 0.3m deep. It was filled by compacted blackish-brown silty sand with frequent inclusions of heat-shattered stone and occasional flecks of charcoal. There were occasional inclusions of small pieces of quartz.

The third trough cut this and was roughly oval in plan with sloped sides and a flat base. This cut was 1.5m long, 1.05m wide and 0.3m deep. The fill was similar to the second trough and, again, there were quartz inclusions.

The fourth trough was located to the east of the third. This cut was roughly circular in plan with almost vertical sides and a concave base. Blackish-brown loosely compacted silty sand with very frequent inclusions of charcoal and heat-shattered stones filled this trough. This feature differed from each of the other three troughs in that it had four post-holes cut into the base, which enclosed a rectangular space.

Part of a fifth trough was excavated to the south-west of the fourth. This was only partly excavated, as it ran underneath the spoilheap. What was exposed indicated that it would be oval in shape. The part of the cut that was excavated was 1.6m long, 0.8m wide and 0.4m deep. It had sloped sides and a flattish base. This cut was filled with loosely compacted black/brown silty sand with frequent inclusions of heat-shattered stone and occasional inclusions of charcoal.

There was some evidence for a sixth trough at the southern edge of the site. The cut of this possible trough was not exposed, as this feature was almost entirely sealed by the spoilheap. This feature is being preserved in situ.

There were two adjacent cuts towards the western end of the site. Both of these were somewhat irregular in shape and may have been natural hollows. These were subcircular in plan with irregular sloped sides and irregular uneven bases. The more northern was 5m in length, 3m in width and 0.6m in depth. A polished stone axehead was found towards the top of the fill of this feature. The more southerly cut was 6m long, 3m wide and 0.6m deep. These pits were filled with a mottled mixture of iron-rich stone and the natural yellow sandy clay. There was no charcoal in the fills.

A somewhat curvilinear feature extended through much of the length of the site and truncated three of the troughs. It was 0.13m long, 0.6m wide and 0.2m deep. The sides were sloped and the base was concave. This cut was filled with loosely compacted mid-brown silty sand with moderate inclusions of small sub-angular stones and occasional inclusions of medium-sized stones. A sherd of medieval pottery was recovered from this fill.

There were a number of silted-up natural anomalies on the site. Due to their proximity to actual archaeological features, each was investigated, but no finds recovered from any of these anomalies.

There are two phases of activity at this site. The five troughs and the two hollows which were filled with a mottled mixture of the natural yellow sandy clay and iron-rich stones represent the prehistoric phase. The five troughs are all similar in plan and can be considered to be roughly contemporary, in that they were clearly dug by the same group of people. Samples from each of these troughs have been retained for specialist analysis. It is hoped that there will be sufficient charcoal from at least one of the trough fills to provide an accelerated 14C date for this phase of activity on the site. The finding of a polished stone axehead is a clear indication that this phase of the site belongs to the prehistoric era. Troughs filled with black/brown soil containing inclusions of heat-shattered stone and charcoal are usually associated with burnt mounds of the Bronze Age. These troughs were commonly used for cooking, though occasionally they may have been used for heating water for other purposes, such as bathing. The location of four post-holes at the base of one feature is of particular interest, as this suggests that a wooden trough was inserted into the cut here.

There was some activity on the site during the medieval period, represented by the somewhat curvilinear cut. The function of this feature is not clear. It may have formed part of a simple drain, given that the ground is very waterlogged at this location.

Brehon House, Kilkenny Road, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny.