County: Kilkenny Site name: KELLYMOUNT (AR125)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A032/112; E3856
Author: Przemyslaw Wierzbicki, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd.
Site type: Burnt mound
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 665274m, N 659639m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.683972, -7.034593
This site was located within the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford road scheme along Contract 2, Phase 4B, Knocktopher to Powerstown, on land with a gentle eastern aspect and was excavated between 15 November and 14 December 2007. A few spreads of burnt-mound material were found on the site. The biggest of them covered an area of 12m by 8m and had an east–west orientation. It consisted of blackened sandy silt with frequent amounts of angular fire-shattered stones (predominantly sandstone) and moderate amounts of charcoal. Features found underneath the deposit were, with a few exceptions, filled by similarly composed material. The most impressive pit measured c. 7m by c. 6.2m. Its gradual sides sloped towards the centre and became vertical about 1.5m below the subsoil. The cut became circular from that point and measured c. 3m in diameter. The total depth of the pit was c. 6m. There were no water sources in the vicinity but the pit may have been a waterhole that collected rainwater (it filled up frequently during excavation). A granite stone, a probable rubbing stone of a saddle quern, came from a secure context within it. It might suggest that grinding activity had taken place on the site.
Four pits were the main features associated with this waterhole. A sub-oval pit with steep sides and a flat base was located immediately to its west. It had an east–west orientation and measured 2.3m by 1.92m by 0.68m; 35 tightly spaced stake-holes were driven into the base. They encircled the base and were probably the remains of wickerwork lining the sides of the pit. Two post-holes and six stake-holes, which created an arc immediately north-north-west of the pit, represented the remains of a probable windbreak. A second pit to the west of the waterhole was rectangular in plan with rounded corners. It had an east–west orientation and measured 2.38m by 1.56m by 0.2m; 22 stake-holes were driven into its base. Two pits were found to the north-east of the waterhole. They were roughly square in shape and measured 1.5–1.6m across. Three stake-holes were driven into the base of one of them.
120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Wicklow
