2015:254 - Stonecarthy East, Stoneyford, Kilkenny

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Kilkenny Site name: Stonecarthy East, Stoneyford

Sites and Monuments Record No.: Adjacent to KK027-048 Licence number: 15E0463, 15R0127

Author: Rex Bangerter, ADCO Director

Site type: Agricultural land adjacent to ringfort

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 653032m, N 641999m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.526768, -7.218465

Archaeological Assessment and subsequent test investigation was required as part of the pre-planning requirements for the proposed development of agricultural buildings at the site of an existing farm complex located 2.8km outside Stoneyford, in Stonecarthy East townland., Co. Kilkenny, NGR: 653032E, 641999N. The farm lies adjacent to a small ringfort (KK027-048), which is located in the neighbouring townland of Cotterellsbooly. The proposed development included the construction of a Milking Parlour (Item 1), Slatted Cubicle Shed (Item 2), and concrete Silage Base (Item 3).

Pre-construction phase mitigation is not deemed necessary for Slatted Cubicle Shed (Item 2) and Silage Base (Item 3) locations, as ground impacts will be restricted to the removal of the existing concrete surfaces and there will be little if any impact on underlying levels.

Archaeological Testing was carried out at the site of the proposed Milking Parlour (Item 1), where the structures foundation, milking pit, and collection yard all extend significantly below the existing ground level. Test-trenches (Trenches T1-T3) were placed at three locations within the footprint of the proposed Milking Parlour. The test-excavation was undertaken in a systematic manner and sub-surface deposits were removed in c.0.15m spits. The resulting spoil was spread, adjacent to each trench location, and underwent separate metal-detection to recover any metallic objects that may be present within those deposits.

Bedrock (Context 1) of mudstone (siltstone) composition was encountered close to the surface in all three trench locations, at a depth of less than 0.45m below surface level. A deposit of fine, light grey, sandy-silt (90%/10% mix) forms a layer above the bedrock (Context 2), with a fine, light orange-brown, silty-sand (80%/20% mix) with occasional fine gravel inclusions, forming the next layer in the stratigraphic sequencing (Context 3). Dark brown earthen topsoil forms the uppermost layer (Context 4). Both of the lower contexts proved to be archaeologically sterile in nature. Inclusions from the topsoil layer (Context 4) constitute modern debris only; fragments of barbed wire, a number of hand-made nails, modern coinage, and a modern pen knife. A concrete surface (Context 6) and associated bedding material (Context 5) form the uppermost layers within test-trenches 2-3. No archaeologically or historically significant material, deposits, or structures were encountered during the testing work.

The archaeological work was carried out in October 2015, under licence from the Department of the Arts, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht; licence numbers: 15E0463 and 15R0127.

No. 2, Main Street, Bennettsbridge, Co. Kilkenny