2008:725 - AR093, Kilree 3, Kilkenny

This site was located within the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford Scheme, Waterford to Powerstown Phase 4 – Knocktopher to Powerstown. It was situated on an east-sloping hill with good visibility and consisted of an early medieval, multi-ditch enclosure with one timber-lined souterrain and one subterranean passageway, also a probable souterrain.
A circular ditch (Ditch 1: 1.15–3.47m width by 0.4–1.4m depth) enclosed an area 90.6m east–west by 85.5m. The primary, mainly sterile fills in the ditch had resulted from natural slumping and silting, indicating that the ditch had remained open for some time. The middle fills contained occupational debris and an inhumation burial, and the final, upper fills had been deliberately backfilled. There was no evidence of a bank, either internal or external. A later ditch (Ditch 3) obscured the exact location of the entranceway into the enclosure which appeared to have been along the north-east section. Inside the area enclosed by Ditch 1 was a concentric, internal enclosure (Ditch 2: 1.7m width by 0.965m), c. 38m in diameter. There was a possible causewayed entrance in the east of this internal enclosure. A second inhumation burial was identified in the interior. Internal field divisions/livestock enclosures were evident along with numbers of possible post-holes and pits, although no patterns or alignments were discernible. Two smaller annexes were associated with Ditch 1; these were formed by Ditch 3 (enclosed area: 24m north–south by 43m) and Ditch 4 (37m east–west by 20m); a burial was associated with Ditch 3. No significant features were recorded within these annexes. Several drainage ditches were identified across the site, especially in the areas which were prone to flooding during the N9/N10 excavations.
An earth-cut souterrain (Souterrain A) was found within the enclosed area; it consisted of a drop-hole shaft in the east, which sloped westwards into a subterranean restricted linear passageway (14m long by 0.8m wide), which had two right-angled turns and which led to a lower, square chamber (16m2; 3m deep). The chamber contained in situ upright wooden posts, along with several collapsed oak roof planks (left as a dark impression in the floor surface), and the passageway also had evidence of decayed upright posts, indicating that the souterrain had been reinforced with timber. A partially metalled floor surface was evident in both the chamber and also the passageway. A billhook and a small iron anvil were found within the fills of this feature.
Another subterranean passageway (10.2m long by 5m wide by 2.3m deep), possible chamber and drop-hole (which was stone-lined in places, giving it a corbelled effect) may represent the remains of a second earth-cut souterrain (Souterrain B) which was positioned in the south-western interior of Ditch 1. There was no evidence for a ramp between the drop-hole and the passageway; possibly steps or a ladder had been used to provide access in and out of the passageway. The drop-hole was later used as a waste pit from which a decorated, partial copper vessel rim and a sherd of Roman Samian ware were recovered. The fills within Souterrain B indicated at least three discernible phases of use: construction, occupation and abandonment. This was possibly an earth-cut souterrain, as there was no evidence of drystone or wood construction; it appears that a large pear-shaped cut was constructed into which Souterrain B was erected. A compacted floor surface was evident in both the passageway and also the chamber. A pseudo-penannular, possible copper-alloy brooch was found in this layer. The fills over the floor surface contained charcoal, animal bone and wood fragments indicating some degree of occupation/use. In the final phase of use the souterrain was abandoned and backfilled after it had subsided.
A total of five inhumations were present in isolated positions across the site. Two burials were located within Ditches 1 and 3; one burial was positioned in the internal area of Ditch 2, with the remaining two burials on the outer edges of Ditches 1 and 4. The inhumations were in varying orientations: north–south, north-east/south-west, north-west/south-east; associated finds recovered included a broken flint scraper, a metal knife, and a fragment of lignite bracelet.
The later medieval activity consisted of a stone-lined, keyhole-shaped kiln with evidence for three phases of use, situated within the south-eastern fills of Ditch 1, as well as several smaller kilns and three metalworking pits which contained charcoal, slag and burnt clay. The post-medieval features on-site consisted of several field drains and a large, modern stone-filled pit.