County: Tipperary Site name: BRICKENDOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 11E0104
Author: Annette Quinn
Site type: Testing
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 612420m, N 640601m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.516308, -7.816260
An impact assessment of a proposed substation and associated access road was undertaken in March 2011. This was followed by testing of the substation site and proposed access road, as the site is partially within the archaeological constraint zone for an enclosure, barrow and bullaun stone (TS061-061, TS061-061/001 and TS061-061/002 respectively).
Ten test trenches were excavated on the site in the area of the proposed substation and access road. The trenches were excavated using a five-tonne mechanical excavator with a 1.5m-wide grading bucket. Testing in the area of the substation was limited on the eastern side owing to the presence of an 110kV overhead line. Excavation under this line was not undertaken. The stratigraphy was similar throughout the site, although rocky outcrops were apparent just under the topsoil in places in the area of the substation site. The natural subsoil consisted of an orange/light brown material with some stones. Natural subsoil was exposed at the base of all the trenches and no archaeological finds, features or deposits were uncovered. Trenches 7 and 8 were excavated just south of the enclosure along the area of the proposed access road in order to ascertain whether any subsurface archaeological deposits were present that may relate to the nearby enclosure/barrow. No such finds or features were encountered.
Tobar Archaeological Services, Saleen, Midleton, Co. Cork.
