County: Kerry Site name: Knockawaddra West
Sites and Monuments Record No.: KE029–292 Licence number: E004153
Author: James Hession, Headland Archaeology (Ireland) Ltd, Unit 1, Wallingstown Business Park, Little Island, Co. Cork.
Site type: Enclosure
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 486591m, N 616644m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.289756, -9.662414
Testing was undertaken on behalf of Kerry County Council, during the week of 9 August 2010. The works were undertaken as part of Stage (i) of the archaeological services contract prior to the commencement of construction of the N22 Tralee bypass/Tralee–Bealagrellagh, Co. Kerry, which extends from Lissatanvally to Flemby. The layout of the trenches was designed to test the zone of archaeological potential of KE029–292, an enclosure, which is located immediately north of the road-take. The results of geophysical survey, which was carried out in advance of test-trenching at the site (Harrison 2010), was also used to dictate the location of the trenches.
Geophysical survey in the area did highlight some features of potential but those within the zone of archaeological potential for KE029–292 were not found to be archaeological. Two pits, with a possible rubbing stone in the upper fill of one, were identified within the zone of potential during testing. The features in Knockwaddra may therefore be related to a burnt mound located 120m to the north (Knockawaddra West 1) or to the enclosure outside the road-take. This site was recorded as Knockawaddra West 2 and the testing report recommended full excavation.
Reference
Harrison, S. 2010 The results of geophysical survey along the route of the N22 Tralee bypass/Tralee to Bealagrellagh road scheme. Report by Headland Archaeology Ltd for Kerry County Council.
