2008:728 - Knocktopher Commons, 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 Knocktopher Commons, Bowersacre (see No. 690 above) and Riceland (see No. 737 below).
The site consisted of two shallow spreads of burnt-mound material which concealed four troughs. The troughs appeared to be located in pairs, with a large bath-shaped trough associated with a shallow rectangular trough. Trough 1 measured 2m by 1.4m by 0.4m and had steep sides and rounded corners. Trough 2 measured 2m by 1m by 0.17m, and was rectangular in plan with vertical, slightly overhanging edges which may indicate that it originally had a timber lining, and a flat base. Trough 3 was rectangular in plan and measured 2.8m by 0.85m by 0.15m with a flat base. Trough 4 measured 2m by 1.25m by 0.5m and was subrectangular in plan with steep sides and a slightly concave base. All four troughs were filled with burnt-mound material, although the primary fill of Trough 1 consisted of loosely compacted waterborne clay. An area of oxidised soil was located beside Trough 1, within a deposit of a moderately compact mottled red/brown sandy clay which appears to represent a hearth within remnants of the original ground surface. Post-excavation work is still ongoing.