County: Kilkenny Site name: AR110, Blanchvillespark 4
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E003914
Author: Tim Coughlan, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Wicklow.
Site type: Burnt mounds
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 661379m, N 656312m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.654526, -7.092814
This site was located within the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford Scheme, Waterford to Powerstown Phase 4 – Knocktopher to Powerstown. The prehistoric activity on-site consisted of two separate burnt mounds with five distinct troughs, two large possible cisterns and numerous small to medium-sized pits in close vicinity. The majority of the burnt-mound activity was situated in the eastern and central parts of the site. The site was later truncated by post-medieval field drains.
A large burnt mound (176m2), which consisted of charcoal-rich, dark-black stony silt with a high quantity of heat-shattered stones, sealed two well-defined troughs, two large possible cisterns and associated pits. One trough had numerous stake- and post-holes at its base, and stake-holes along its outer edge, suggesting a possible lining of the trough with a probable wattle fence or covering surrounding it. The second trough had stake-holes positioned at its base, also suggesting a possible lining. No evidence of wood remained in either trough. A third, smaller trough, was situated along the southern margins of the burnt mound and two large possible cisterns truncated, and were truncated by, several smaller pits.
A smaller burnt spread (45m2), situated to the east of the main burnt mound, was possibly a separate area of activity and had an associated trough to its east. Towards the south-western part of the site was an isolated, flagstone-lined trough with no associated features. It is possible that both burnt mounds were contemporary, although the frequency of troughs in the area does possibly suggest different phases of use.
