2009:508 - SHEEPSTOWN (Site AR051), Kilkenny

An excavation took place during August 2006 in advance of the construction of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford road improvement scheme. Prior assessment (Valerie J. Keeley Ltd, 2005) and centreline test-trenching was carried out by Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd in 2006. The excavation of AR051 revealed three ditches, a furrow and a small area of surface burning.

Ditch [c4] measured 56m, continuing beyond the limit of excavation, and measured 2m in width in the south to 3m in the north and had a maximum depth of 0.55m. This ditch appears to have been recut on the western edge by channel [c11]. This channel may represent a later land division within a larger field system or possibly an attempt to drain [c4] at a time when it was becoming clogged up with silt. There was an oval-shaped area of oxidised subsoil c. 2m from the south-eastern edge of the ditch. The subsoil had been scorched to a bright-orange colour and had a moderate amount of charcoal compressed into it. It measured 1m by 0.75m by 0.02m. Drain [c6] was orientated east–west and extended beyond the limit of excavation. It had a maximum width of 0.35m and a maximum depth of 0.2m.

Editor’s note: This summary did not arrive in time for inclusion in the bulletin of 2006.