2007:1822 - Killoteran 9, Waterford

This site was excavated as part of the pre-construction archaeological mitigation of the N25 Waterford bypass. Excavations took place over a number of years (2003–2007) due to problems with site flooding (Excavations 2004, No. 1681, Excavations 2005, No. 1496). The site represents a vertical watermill and excavations between 2003 and 2006 had fully resolved the head-race channel and the majority of the tail-race channel, leaving the second revetment/dam, wheelhouse, wheel pit and parts of the tail-race to be resolved in 2007.
The wheelhouse was located in the centre of the mill-race and consisted of a rectangular area measuring 2m in length by 1.5m. It was lined on both sides by a series of planks lying sideways on top of each other and held in place by wooden posts (in excess of 3m in length, worked to a point and fire-hardened) at either end. The floor of the wheelhouse was also lined with a large number of substantial planks (c. 30), some of them evidently reused. These planks would have been necessary to stop silting below the wheel.
The main mill-house was located along the north-west side of the wheel, where portions of two upright plank-lined walls were exposed. The first of these walls was formed by the north-west end of the second dam and the second was formed by planks laid on edge and held by two large wooden posts at a distance of 2m from the first wall. The floor of the mill-house was constructed from a mixture of imported clay and moss in three successive layers, clearly indicating that the floor surface had been replaced or repaired on a number of occasions.
The tail-race consisted of a small channel measuring only 2m wide cut into the marl, with a revetment on both sides consisting of small posts driven into the bed of the channel supporting reused timbers.
Post-excavation treatment of the wood is ongoing and all the wood will be analysed by Cathy Moore.