County: Laois Site name: CUFFSBOROUGH (3)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A015/88, E2198
Author: Deirdre Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Pit, Burnt spread and Well
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 634315m, N 682893m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.895812, -7.490012
This site was excavated between January and February 2006 as part of the programme of resolution of archaeological sites on the route of the proposed M7 Portlaoise to Castletown/M8 Portlaoise to Cullahill motorway scheme. The work was carried out on behalf of Laois County Council and the National Roads Authority.
The site at Cuffsborough 3 comprised 22 features of archaeological significance, including sixteen pits, two spreads, four ditches and one possible well. The pits were irregular in shape, and were morphologically similar; however, their function was not apparent. Animal bone was retrieved from one pit, a drain and a well. These three features were all located within close proximity to one another. Discrete deposits of burnt and fire-cracked stone with charcoal fragments were found within some pits. Some of these features may be interpreted as the remains of a possible burnt spread, perhaps a fulacht fiadh, with associated pits, which may have functioned as troughs. The shallow and uneven form of some of the depressions suggests natural hollows that had been filled with remnants of a larger spread. Radiocarbon samples were collected and these will provide a date when analysed.
The largest pit was sub-oval with a concave profile and a flat base and measured 5.6m by 7.7m by 1.56m deep. Eight separate deposits were recorded in it, which seemed to represent a gradual phase of disuse. The pit was cut by a modern land drain and ditch to the west and by a possible well to the east. The well measured 1.68m by 1.8m and was 1.78m deep. The sides were vertical while tapering towards the base. This feature was cut by a modern drain orientated north–south. A single clay deposit was recorded in the well, which seemed to represent a single phase of backfilling of the feature. One wooden and two metal artefacts were recovered from this deposit. An accurate date cannot yet be established for this site; all samples and finds site are currently undergoing analysis.
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