2007:1020 - AR067, Stonecarthy West, Kilkenny

This site was located within the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford road scheme along Contract 2, Phase 4, Knocktopher to Powerstown. The site was located on a slight westerly slope at the base of the prominent Knockadrina Hill, and included a large burnt spread (58m north-west/south-east by 28m by 0.12m) with heat-shattered stone and charcoal. To the west and to the south were several pit clusters, with small examples (0.5m diameter by 0.3m depth) to the east, probably of a medieval date and industrial function. Larger (1.5m by 1.2m by 0.4m) examples to the north were filled with burnt-mound-style material and therefore probably related to the burnt mound, 40m upslope.
The burnt spread was removed by hand and additional features were identified, only under the western and northern limits of the spread. These features varied little in size (generally 1m by 0.8m by 0.4m), fill (burnt-mound-style material) and interpretation (refuse pits).
A trough (3.5m by 0.5m by 0.2m) was surrounded on three sides by a curvilinear slot-trench (6m by 0.3m) with associated post-holes that may have been at least partially if not completely closed in the trough. Immediately to the north-east of these was a large funnel-shaped pit which at the surface was an irregular shape (5m in length east–west by 3m in width) which narrowed as the cut descended to become a circular-shaped shaft, 2m in diameter. The pit was 3m in depth and was filled by alternate layers of concentrated burnt-mound-style material and fluvially deposited silts, which suggested possibly phased seasonal activity on site. This feature retained water, but no ground-water came into the feature at any level. Several wooden fragments were uncovered at the base of the cut.