2008:690 - Bowersacre, Kilkenny

The proposed project consists of an online upgrade of the R699 from the N9 national primary road to the proposed tie-in with the new N9/N10 Waterford to Powerstown high-quality dual carriageway to the west of Knocktopher town. Three sites were identified during centreline testing of a 1.5km section between Knocktopher and the N9/N10, at Bowersacre, Knocktopher Commons and Riceland (see Nos 728 and 737 below).
A single feature was identified during testing, c. 30m south of the burnt mound at Knocktopher Commons. It was oval in plan with steep, and at places almost vertical, sides. The sides broke sharply on to a flat base which had a total of sixteen stake-holes cut into it. The stake-holes did not appear to have been set in any deliberate order but were dispersed evenly across the base. The base of the pit, including all of the stake-holes, was filled with a loosely compacted grey/brown silty clay with small stones and small pieces of oxidised clay fragments. A thin layer of redeposited natural occurred between this and moderately compact grey/black charcoal-rich silty clay which contained some oxidised soil and a few fragments of burnt sandstone. The feature was sealed by a thick deposit of moderately compact orange/brown silty clay. The function of the pit is unknown, although the stakes within the feature may have supported a wattle lining and may indicate that the feature was intended to naturally hold water. A morphologically similar feature was identified in Tullerboy in Co. Galway as part of the gas pipeline scheme and was identified in relation to burnt-mound activity.