County: Kildare Site name: Ballitore, Kildare
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 15E0020
Author: Seán Shanahan
Site type: Prehistoric
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 679725m, N 696158m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.010185, -6.811990
Archaeological investigation took place in advance of development at the industrial site for Glanbia, Ballitore. Three trench areas were opened. Beneath top soil was a mid orange-brown clayey silt that had been regularly ploughed. Throughout all areas of the site the stratigraphy consisted of clayey silt subsoil similiar in colour and consistancy to the overlaying topsoil. Its depth varied from a maximum of 0.6m to none at all. Beneath this was a pale yellow gravelly clay; its depth varied but did not go beyond 0.2m. Underlying all these was an undulating glacial deposit of rough, loose, sandy gravel consisting of rounded and sub-rounded pebbles and stones.
The site was divided into areas A, B and C, further broken down into locations, N, S, E and W.
Area A (S) consisted of 15 features. This trench was excavated to a depth of 0.38m. The sandy gravel deposit, in this area, formed a natural ridge. Occasional inclusions of charcoal and bone were recorded.
Area A (N): A reddish brown silty clay subsoil lay in a deeper layer overlaying the glacial deposits. Structural elements were apparent in this area were predominantly pits, post- and stake-holes. Several linear features formed a roughly C-shaped arc. Finds from area included a saddle quern, chert, charcoal and occassional fragments of burnt bone and clay.
Area A (W): Features idenified consisted of pits and linear features. Finds included chert, charcoal and occassional burnt bone, pebble inclusions and fragments of prehistoric pottery.
Area B (E): This area revealled an alignment consisting of five features. These comprised of linear features, pits and stake-holes. Finds consisted of charcoal, bunt bone and sherds of prehistoric pottery.
Area B (W): This area revealled features which went to a depth of 0.25m which were the terminals of a linear feature.
Area C (NE): This area had been significantly distrubed by cable trenches and other modern activities. The area revealled pits which included charcoal, burnt bone, fragments of prehistoric pottery and pieces of chert debitage.
Area C (E): This area consisted various pits, post-holes and curvilinear features. Within these features were charcoal, stones, numerous ceramic fragments and fragment of daub which suggested a site of possible storage or production.
Area C (W): This area contained the densest concentration of cut features which included pits, post-holes and linear features. Within them were small stones, pebbles, charcoal and chert debitage.
The cut features, deposits and artifact assemblage from all three areas are analogus with prehistoric activity and settlement..
Shanarc Archaeology Ltd, 39A Hebron Business Park, Hebron Rd, Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny
