County: Louth Site name: Kilcurry
Sites and Monuments Record No.: LH004-054 Licence number: 17E0156
Author: Rob Lynch, IAC Ltd
Site type: Souterrain, prehistoric and post-medieval settlement
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 702728m, N 811463m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.042095, -6.431520
A programme of testing was carried out in May 2017 at Kilcurry, Co. Louth in advance of a large-scale development. It followed a previous geophysical survey (Licence 17R0026) carried out by John Nicholls of Target Archaeological Geophysics in February 2017.
The test excavations identified a total of six areas of archaeological interest (Areas 1-6), which contained features that range in date from the prehistoric to early medieval and the post-medieval periods. A summary of the findings in each area is as follows:
Area 1
Area 1 is located in the north-west part of the site and contained the remains of the early medieval souterrain (LH004-054) and a number of pits and post-holes, two of which contained sherds of prehistoric pottery with another containing fragments of cremated bone.
The souterrain had initially been discovered during agricultural ground levelling in the 1950s and was substantially disturbed at that time by bulldozing. It was subsequently completely levelled to prevent access and/or accidents (Patrick Goss, pers. comm.) The remains uncovered during test trenching were scant and consisted of some large flat stones at the northern extent which could represent the remains of the chamber and some bedrock and flat stones 15m to the south which correspond with the description of ‘natural rock’ being used for the construction of one wall of the passage. No evidence of the original east-west passage was located during testing.
The remainder of the features in Area 1 comprised post-medieval agricultural features and field boundaries.
Area 2
Area 2 is located to the east of Area 1. A number of pits containing charcoal and burnt bone were identified in this area. The remainder of the features identified comprise post-medieval stone drains and agricultural features.
Area 3
Area 3 is located at the highest point of the proposed development area and to the south of Area 1. Area 3 has been interpreted as a potential settlement site spread over an area measuring 50m by 40m. Area 3 contained spreads of charcoal-rich soil ranging in depth from 0.18m to 0.35m and containing burnt stone. Other features included a cluster of stake-holes, pits and a possible kiln. No datable material was recovered from any of the features but it is likely features date from the prehistoric and/or the early medieval period.
Area 4
Area 4 is located south of Area 3 and south-south-west of Kilcurry House. While there were some pits and a kiln recorded across this area, the majority of the features here are most likely post-medieval/modern in date, including two disused quarries noted on the 25-inch map along with an avenue/roadway running south-south-west from Kilcurry House towards former structures in the southern part of the site.
Area 5
Area 5 is the southernmost extent of the site. It contained several features of archaeological potential. These comprised a small burnt spread and a pit containing burnt clay and slag in Trench 91. Another pit was identified in Trench 94.
The remainder of Area 5 contained a number of post-medieval features. The first edition OS map (1836) depicts this area as an orchard/wooded area with a small structure, also visible on the 25-inch map (1909). This structure was identified as an area of rubble and disturbed ground within Trench 96. The orchard/wooded area is clear of trees on the 1909 map but its northern extent by that time appears to be enclosed as a large paddock/garden area and a second avenue/roadway extends south-east from the original route from Kilcurry House towards its northern corner. This avenue/roadway was recorded in Trench 93 along with the corner of a small rectangular structure also visible on the 1909 map. The remainder of the area contained mainly agricultural furrows with some very deep areas indicative of former ground levelling or clearance. No features of archaeological interest were recorded in Area 5.
Area 6
Area 6 contained a number of post-medieval field boundaries, that correspond with field boundaries shown on the 25” OS map, associated with Kilcurry House. An area of marshy ground indicated on the 1st edition OS and the 25-inch maps was identified, with peat over 1.2m in depth, and a number of stone drains were recorded. No features of archaeological interest were recorded in Area 6.
IAC Ltd, Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
