2014:174 - Knockhouse Lower, Co. Waterford, Waterford

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Waterford Site name: Knockhouse Lower, Co. Waterford

Sites and Monuments Record No.: WA009-003 Licence number: 14E0325

Author: Brenda O'Meara & Fintan Walsh

Site type: Prehistoric and early medieval activity

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 657381m, N 611866m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.255510, -7.159540

A programme of test trenching was undertaken by Brenda O’Meara with Fintan Walsh of IAC Ltd in response to planning conditions attached to the IDA development (Planning Ref.: Part 8 01/14). This followed on from a series of previous investigations including geophysical survey, testing and excavation.

Prior to testing it was known that the proposed development area included three recorded monuments: an undated enclosure (WA009-003), a middle Bronze Age enclosure (WA009-031) which was fully excavated in 2007; and a burnt mound which was identified during testing in 2003 (03E0375). A number of phases of geophysical survey were also undertaken at this site.

A total of 36 trenches, measuring 3,110 linear metres, were excavated across the area of proposed development over the course of three days from 18 August 2014. The aim of this testing exercise was to: identify and locate the undated enclosure and field system (WA009-003), re-identify the burnt mound found during testing in 2003 and to test the remaining development area.

Five areas of archaeology were identified during the testing including:
• Archaeological Area 1: enclosure and field system WA009-003
• Archaeological Area 2: a truncated burnt mound
• Archaeological Area 3: a truncated burnt mound and pits
• Archaeological Area 4: a truncated burnt mound spread/pit
• Archaeological Area 5: the burnt mound previously identified in the 2003 testing

It was recommended that the five archaeological areas identified be fully excavated in advance of any construction at this site, should this be deemed the most appropriate way to proceed.

IAC Ltd, Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow