County: Kilkenny Site name: Kells
Sites and Monuments Record No.: - Licence number: 06E0673
Author: Ellen O’Carroll, 12 St Peter’s Terrace, Glenageary, Co. Dublin.
Site type: Enclosures
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 649306m, N 643380m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.539532, -7.273153
A site assessment was carried out at Kells, Co. Kilkenny, which included a site walkover, geophysical survey, archaeological testing of geophysical anomalies and associated research and cartographic examination. The geophysical survey results (licence 06R0102, J. Nicholls) located an oval enclosure (A) measuring 40m in diameter; the remains of an archaeological complex defined by a pair of circular enclosures was also recorded, as well as a linear ditch (C) running west from one of the circular enclosures. Testing was carried out along the length of some of these geophysical anomalies to determine their nature and extent.
Two sites of archaeological potential were identified during testing in the area of proposed impact by the development site. These were the outer ditch (Feature D) of one of the circular enclosures and a linear ditch-like feature (Feature C) running west from this outer ditch. The outer enclosing ditch of the bivallete enclosure (Feature D) is 2.1m in width and 1m in depth. It contains three fills, charcoal and some animal bone. Feature C measures 1m in width and 1m in depth and contains a relatively uniform fill of silty clay, stones and a small amount of animal bone. The two features are located inside the development site and will be impacted upon by the construction of the proposed dwellings, therefore further resolution is recommended on these sites.
