2008:1017 - Springfield, Offaly

Archaeological investigations were carried out at Springfield, Moneygall, Co. Offaly, between 16 and 26 October 2007. The proposed development involved the erection of fifteen houses, new entrance and ancillary siteworks on a greenfield site near OF046–017001, classified as an earthwork. Outline permission to build was originally granted in 2004 subject to pre-development testing. An initial testing phase was carried out by Brian Halpin (National Archaeological Services Ltd) in October 2004 (Excavations 2004, No. 1421). Four trenches running north-north-west/south-south-east were excavated across the site that ‘uncovered a series of linear features of unknown date and a subcircular feature, the possible remains of a Bronze Age burnt spread or potboiler. There were no traces of the earthwork uncovered.’ On the basis of these findings a further investigation was recommended.
Following this, Moore Group were commissioned to undertake the monitoring of topsoil-stripping under a licence transfer. During the course of the monitoring brief on 10 September 2007 (Excavations 2007, No. 1463) excavation exposed the remains of the southern portion of an enclosing ditch associated with the earthwork (OF046–017). Following consultations with archaeologist Hugh Carey for the National Monuments Service, DEHLG, it was agreed that the monument be preserved in situ by covering the exposed remains in geotextile and raising the existing development levels by 0.3m to act as a buffer between the archaeological deposits and the proposed house foundations. Furthermore, Mr Carey required that a number of sections should be hand-dug across the width of the fosse and in other areas of archaeological potential.
The site consists of a rectangular field fronting on to the Cloughjordan road. The site, originally pasture, slopes from west to east. In the vicinity of the monument, towards the north-east corner of the site, was a subcircular elevated area. Topsoil-stripping using a 14-tonne machine with grading bucket exposed the curvilinear line of the southern side of the enclosing ditch of the monument. The northern section was not exposed, as it lay outside the confines of the site.
The ditch was defined by a wide fosse filled with a brown loam that measured c. 5.8m wide at the top. A test-trench excavated through the feature showed a stratigraphy containing an upper deposit of brown silt overlying a layer of charcoal-enriched material and a base deposit containing some animal bone. Within the interior of the enclosure the topsoil cover was very shallow, with no immediate features evident. The site has an external east–west diameter of c. 45m and within the field a north–south width of 38m.
Three trenches through the east, west and south of the ditch were excavated. A further seventeen separate features found outside the enclosure were identified, seven of which had archaeological potential. These included five pits, a linear feature and a rectangular pit with four corner post-holes filled with charcoal-enriched silt and fire-cracked stones.
Trench 1 ran north–south across the line of the enclosure ditch towards the north-east corner of the field. The ditch was first exposed during the topsoil-stripping programme and was mechanically tested through its upper deposits to determine its nature and extent. Following this, the trench was extended and manually excavated. The ditch in Trench 1 measured 6.5m wide at its top. Its upper slope broke gradually for a depth of 0.3m before breaking into a steeper incline, forming a V-shaped cut with a maximum depth of 1.6m. Lying within the trench were two naturally occurring limestone boulders. Nine individual contexts were identified in the exposed north-facing profile; these were subdivided into four main phases. The upper deposits were composed of ploughsoil and fill material from the bank of the monument that was cleared away in the mid-19th century. Below this was the original surface layer C8, with a small percentage of charcoal-enriched material. Beneath C8 were a number of deposits representing natural silting over a long period of time. No artefacts or datable material were retrieved from this trench.
Trench 2
Trench 2 was located to the east of the monument and measured 6.3m wide by 0.85m deep. This section of the ditch had a U-shaped profile and consisted of three phases of fills. The upper fill consisted of redeposited bank material. Below this was a blue/grey sandy silt with occasional charcoal flecks, medium angular stones and traces of iron panning. C17 was a small pocket of grey sand with a depth of 0.14m. On either side of this were C18 and C19, both silted-up layers of yellow/brown sand with some rounded stones. Near the base was C20, a medium light-blue/grey sandy silt with occasional fragments of charcoal and the remains of an articulated animal, possibly a pig. A number of bones were examined for butchering marks and seemed unworked. It is likely that the animal was discarded on its side and left to decompose. Below C20 were a further five fills, a silty orange/grey sand with occasional charcoal flecks, a loose grey sterile sandy silt and a thin horizon of white sand. At the very base of the ditch to the west were a yellow sand and a rubble layer of sub-angular stones in a sandy matrix with occasional charcoal flecks. The cut for the ditch had gradual sides, with an angle of 55˚ breaking to a relatively flat base.
Trench 3
Trench 3 was located to the south of the enclosure and corresponded in width to both Trenches 1 and 2. It measured c. 6.4m wide by 1.5m deep. The upper deposits were made up of bulky silty layers overlying lower sandier layers. Nine different contexts were identified in the east-facing profile of the ditch. A possible cut and fill for a furrow were found cut into the ploughsoil. The cut was 0.6m in width by 0.15m in depth. Below this were ploughsoil and fill material from the bank of the monument that was cleared away. Below this was a loosely, compact brown/grey sandy silt with frequent stones (0.1–0.3m in diameter) that accounted for 50% of the layer’s content. Underlying this was a yellow/brown silty sand with gravel, two gravelly sands with a slight colour variation and the base layer, a dark-yellow/brown sandy gravel that contained small amounts of animal bone.
The features
Feature 1, a pit, was found along the edge of the western boundary wall c. 11m south of the north-west corner of the site. The pit was evident as a rectangular mid-brown charcoal-enriched deposit that measured 2.6m north-north-west/south-south-east by 1.3m wide by 0.7m deep. A half-section through the pit identified four fills: a moderately, compact, greyish-brown silt, containing occasional medium-sized angular stones and occasional charcoal flecks; a black silt, a thin layer of medium compaction with much charcoal; a loose light-brownish-grey silty sand with moderate charcoal flecks and occasional angular stones; and the base layer was a yellow clayey silt containing moderate amounts of pebbles. There were no finds. The cut was very regular, with steep, near vertical sides breaking to a flat base. The corners were rounded.
Feature 2 was a subcircular, pit 1m in diameter, that was located outside the eastern edge of the enclosing ditch. The pit was situated 5m from the eastern boundary wall and 19m from the north-east corner. The fill consisted of a grey/black charcoal-rich silt with frequent amounts of small heat-fractured stones lying within a subcircular cut with a rounded base 0.1m deep.
Feature 4 consisted of a linear trench found to the east of the enclosing ditch. The trench was very regular in form and consisted of a V-shaped cut, dug into natural subsoil, measuring 9.5m south-west/north-east by 1.8m wide by 0.7m deep ending in a rounded terminal. The ditch had two fills. The upper was a compact orange/brown silty sand, 0.2m deep. The base layer was a grey/brown sandy silt with a medium amount of cobble-sized stones. Both layers were archaeologically sterile.
Feature 9, an isolated pit, was exposed along the northern boundary wall c. 55m west of the north-east corner. The pit was circular in shape measuring 1.1m in diameter and had a maximum depth of 0.3m. It was filled with fire-cracked stones in a loosely compact black silt. The base of the cut did not appear to be oxidised or heat-affected.
Feature 15 was found c. 13m to the south-west of the enclosure and 6.5m from the southern boundary. It was subcircular in plan measuring 3.15m north–south by 4.25m and had a maximum depth of 0.6m. The cut was stepped, the upper portion having a gradual slope that broke to a sharper incline near the centre. There were three fills: the upper deposit was a dark-brown clayey silt with a moderate amount of charcoal and angular stones 0.1m in depth. Below this, making up the bulk of the fills, was a loose black charcoal-rich silt with frequent fire-cracked stones, 0.35m in depth. The base deposit was a loose grey sand with charcoal flecking. Feature 15 was found in association with Feature 16 and, due to their proximity and similarity in fill type, have to be treated as contemporaneous and functionally related.
Feature 16, a rectangular spread of burnt material, was located 0.5m to the south-east of Feature 15. It consists of a rectangular cut orientated west-north-west/east-south-east measuring 2.75m long by 1.6m wide by 0.3m deep. The cut had near vertical sides breaking sharply to an uneven base. The pit was filled with a moderately compact black charcoal-enriched material with frequent fire-cracked stones. It is interesting to note that the interface between the fill material and the base of the cut showed no signs of scorching or oxidisation. Excavation at the base of the cut exposed four post-holes at each corner. The post-holes all contained a brown/grey sandy silt fill. Post-hole 1 to the north-west corner measured 0.15m in diameter and was dug to a depth of 0.3m where it tapered to a blunt point. Post-hole 2 to the north-east corner was sub-rounded and measured 0.2m in length by 0.12m wide by 0.17m deep. This post-hole tapered to a rounded point. Post-hole 3 to the south-west corner was 0.15m in diameter and was 0.25m deep ending in a blunt point. Post-hole 4 in the south-east corner was 0.17m in diameter by 0.16m deep and tapered to a blunt point. Both features 15 and 16 are clearly related and their respective forms show deliberation in their creation and design. The post-holes in particular, in Feature 15, would suggest an aboveground superstructure possibly supporting a rack or platform. This site may have had a number of uses including charcoal manufacture or drying meat.
Feature 17 consists of an U-shaped pit that cut an earlier burnt spread. The pit was oval in plan and measured 0.7m by 0.5m and had a depth of 0.28m. It contained a medium compact light-brown sandy silt. The associated spread was in a saucer-shaped cut and was roughly circular in plan measuring 1.8m in diameter with a gentle slope and maximum depth of 0.1m. The fill was a mid-brown silt with a moderate amount of charcoal and occasional small stones. This deposit was burnt in situ as evidenced by the burnt oxidised base. These features are typically described as pot-boiler sites.