County: Kilkenny Site name: AR157, Ballyquirk
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A032/167; E3839
Author: Richard Jennings, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Wicklow.
Site type: Burnt-mound activity
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 667649m, N 665638m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.654210, -7.077220
This site was located within the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford road scheme along Contract 2, Phase 4B, Knocktopher to Powerstown beside a hedgerow and winding stream. Three burnt-stone spreads were identified. A focus of the excavation was to determine whether the stream was present at the time of occupation. This could not be done for two of the spreads as they went under very dense hedging and had suffered extensive root damage from mature trees. It was possible to show that the third burnt-stone spread stopped about 5m from the stream. There was no indication from the testing phase that burnt-stone material was present on the other side of this watercourse.
The third burnt-stone spread was at the northern extent of the site. It measured 17m by 8m by 0.28m and ran parallel with the stream. A large oval-shaped trough measuring 2.7m by 2.5m by 0.5m was found beneath the spread. Resting on the base of the trough in the southern end was a series of five flat stones forming an L shape. These seemed to function as a step or platform within the trough. There was no indication that the rest of the pit was lined with stones. The stones extended 1.2m by 0.5m, with the single largest one measuring 0.37m by 0.35m by 0.1m.
The larger of the two spreads that extended under the hedge was 15m by 9m (minimum) by 0.3m. Beneath it was a small patch of burning, a charcoal-rich pit and, most prominently, a circular pit 1.6m2 in diameter with a single stake-hole cut into its base. The remaining spread measured 10m by 7.5m (minimum) by 0.3m deep. No trough was found under this spread, only two irregular-shaped pits, one of which formed a horseshoe shape.
Two possible troughs not covered or filled by burnt-stone spreads were found at the southern extent of the site. The largest was 2.2m by 1.9m by 0.54m deep and contained stone slabs across its base, including one that was 0.8m by 0.6m by 0.1m. Four stake-holes forming a square were cut into the base. They were not obscured by the stones so were most likely to be contemporary with them. The second trough was 3.07m by 2.89m by 0.24m deep and appeared to be stone lined. It was a different construction than the two aforementioned troughs. Its stones were smaller and more block-shaped and did not form a coherent base.
