County: Tipperary Site name: Site AR17–20, Parkstown
Sites and Monuments Record No.: TI047–072 Licence number: E002368
Author: David A. McCullough and Leigh Barker, for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd, Brehon House, Kilkenny Road, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny.
Site type: Cropmark (environs), pits, hearths and residual occupation
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 615499m, N 652748m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.625744, -7.771075
Excavation of this site at Parkstown was undertaken in July and August 2006 in advance of the proposed M8/N8 Cullahill to Cashel road improvement scheme. The site is situated adjacent to a ploughed-out enclosure site, labelled ‘Carrigheen Hill’ on early OS maps, and north-west of a large ringfort labelled ‘Black Fort’ (TI047–077). Prior assessment and centreline test-trenching was carried out in 2005 (Excavations 2005, No. 1388, A027/010). This revealed two small burnt spreads, a post-hole and three pits. Subsequently a large area was stripped of topsoil.
Excavation revealed a number of widely distributed isolated pits and a regular pattern of cultivation furrows. Two probable sub-oval to pear-shaped corn-drying kilns were identified; six other shallow burnt pits might also have been kilns. A parallel pair of shallow ditches would appear to be a field boundary. Specialist analysis is ongoing and absolute dates are being sought from charcoal samples taken from the features. Several prehistoric lithics were also recovered from residual contexts.
