2007:897 - AR078, Danesfort, Kilkenny

This site was located within the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford road scheme along Contract 2, Phase 4, Knocktopher to Powerstown. A burnt mound situated on the southern slopes of a gentle valley in Danesfort was excavated. It was 14.35m by 13.8m by 0.57m and covered a trough, a large pit with evidence of reuse, a well, a small structure, and c. 30 post-holes/small pits/natural depressions filled with burnt-mound material. The trough was oval-shaped and had a shelf at its eastern end with evidence of burning on it. The large pit (2.75m by 1.8m by 0.75m) was filled with burnt-mound material and had a dump of medium- and large-sized limestone blocks at its base. The pit recut measured 3m by 1.2m by 0.6m and was filled with soft, greyish-brown silts. Three shallow pits to the east of the large pit also contained evidence of recutting. They were cut through by three post-holes with diameters and depths of c. 0.3m. It seems probable that the post-holes and the second phase of the large pit were contemporary. A small structure made up of two rows of four post-holes was situated 5m to the east of the large pit. The gap between the rows was 0.5m and 0.2m between the post-holes in each row. The post-holes were on average 0.35m in diameter and 0.25m deep and all filled with dark, grey/black silts with burnt stones. Finally, the well measured 4m by 4m and was 2m deep. It was filled mainly with grey silts and clays with frequent large stone blocks as well as the occasional band of burnt-mound material.