County: Kilkenny Site name: AR055, Baysrath
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A032/088; E3627
Author: Fintan Walsh, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Wicklow.
Site type: Metalled path and associated features
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 651516m, N 637913m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.490195, -7.241433
This site was located within the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford road scheme along Contract 2, Phase 4, Knocktopher to Powerstown. It was identified during testing carried out by Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd and was excavated between 20 August and 19 September 2007. The site (55m north–south by 62m) was located on pasture land, rising slightly to the west, adjacent to a large ceremonial and habitation site dating from the Late Bronze Age to the early medieval period and consisted of a metalled surface/path, a linear ditch, a possible structure, and a number of isolated pits and hearths. Due to the lack of finds the site is undated at the time of writing.
The path, orientated east-north-east/west-south-west, on a slight incline rising to the west, was c. 39–60m long and on average 2.8m wide and extended beyond the limits of the site. It was constructed directly on the natural subsoil, was sealed by topsoil and was defined by closely packed small rounded and sub-angular stones which were on average 0.04m by 0.03m diameter. The eastern half of the path was well defined while the western half was only partially intact, perhaps the result of later agricultural activities. According to local information the field in which the metalled surface is located is on the route of a mass path leading to Sheepstown Church, the oldest church in the diocese of Ossary. Therefore this metalled surface may be part of this medieval routeway.
The path was flanked to the north by a linear ditch which was 60m long east–west, on average 1.1m wide and on average 0.6m deep. The main fill of the ditch consisted of a compacted sandy clay. No finds were recovered from this ditch. The ditch extended beyond the limits of excavation.
A possible structure (c. 2m north–south by c. 4m), defined by four post-holes and a small gully, was identified to the south of the path.
The remainder of the archaeological activity consisted of isolated pits and hearths distributed throughout the southern half of the site. That one of these features was distinctively figure-of-eight-shaped is of note. It was backfilled with material similar to the surrounding natural subsoil. This may have been an unused kiln.
