2017:369 - Drumwood, Chadville and Greenfield, Tipperary

Monitoring of topsoil removal associated with a cable route connecting Milestone wind farm to the existing Cauteen substation, Co. Tipperary was carried out between September and December 2017. The permitted development comprised the laying of an underground cable from the permitted Inchivara wind farm to the permitted substation at Graniera (Milestone wind farm) and from there to the existing Cauteen substation. The monitoring of topsoil removal was carried out under excavation licence no. 16E0606. This summary report details the results of the monitoring.

Several archaeological sites and features were uncovered along the cable route during the course of the monitoring and were subsequently subject to full excavation. Details of these sites will be presented in a separate excavation report.

Topsoil stripping associated with the cable route commenced in Drumwood townland in September 2017. A small number of isolated archaeological features were uncovered (Drumwood 1, 2 and 3) and a small polished stone axe was also recovered from the topsoil in this townland. Specialist analysis of the axe will be undertaken and the results of same detailed in the final excavation report.

Drumwood 1 comprised two archaeological features consisting of a shallow sub-circular pit (C22) and a more substantial pit/post-hole (C24) which were uncovered at Drumwood townland during topsoil removal in September 2017. The features were subsequently fully excavated. The shallow pit, C22, contained a charcoal-rich fill (C21) and had an oxidised base. It has been provisionally interpreted as a hearth. The pit/post-hole, C24, was filled with a compact material containing inclusions of oxidised clay and charcoal. No other potential archaeological features were noted in this area.

Drumwood 2 was located further to the south of Drumwood 1 in the same townland. It comprised a single feature which consisted of a shallow pit similar to C22 in Drumwood 1 and is provisionally interpreted as a hearth.

Drumwood 3: An isolated pit was uncovered to the north of Drumwood 1 and 2 and was also fully excavated. 

Cauteen 1: An isolated pit and two associated stake-holes were uncovered in Cauteen townland during monitoring of topsoil removal in this area. The features were subsequently fully excavated.

CHADVILLE Townland

Three separate areas of archaeological potential were identified in Chadville townland during monitoring of topsoil removal: Chadville 1, 2 and 3. The majority of the features uncovered in the three areas comprised pits of as yet unknown date.

Chadville 1: One potential archaeological feature was uncovered within the stripped cable corridor in the field to the south-west of an existing farm track, just north-east of a levelled field boundary. It comprised a large, relatively shallow pit, C56, containing three fills. The upper fill, C53, contained post-medieval material including a sherd of 19th-20th-century crockery, however, no late material was noted in the underlying fills. C54 comprised a black charcoal-rich layer and overlay the basal layer C55 which was a grey sandy silt with occasional charcoal inclusions. The pit cut was somewhat irregular and was barely discernible at the east and west sides. It was roughly oval in plan and sloped down towards the centre where the cut was deepest and the charcoal-rich fill was concentrated. The pit measured 3.2m in length east-west by 1.48m in width and 0.4m in depth (max). The function of the pit is unknown and the lack of any dateable finds other than the post-medieval material in the upper levels of the upper fill does not provide a secure date for this feature, particularly as later agricultural activity was noted in the area. Its location adjacent to a now levelled field boundary may suggest a post-medieval date, although this cannot be stated with certainty.

Chadville 2: Chadville 2 comprises a group of 5 pits (C60, C62, C64, C66, C68) and a sixth isolated pit c. 33m to the east of the group. This site was located in the field to the north-east of Chadville 1 and north-east of the existing farm track. The pits were fully excavated after being exposed during monitoring of topsoil removal in this area, in late October 2017. None of the pits produced any artefactual material to indicate a date for same and their fills were sterile in appearance. 

Chadville 3 : Chadville 3 was located to the north-east of Chadville 2 in pasture land south of the adjacent narrow public road. It comprised a series of shallow, irregular linear features (C84, C86 and C88), six adjacent shallow pits (C90, C92, C94, C96, C98 and C102) and a possible hearth. While the majority of features did not produce any dateable material, a shard of glass was retrieved from the upper levels of one of the linear features and may be 18th-19th century in date. The possible hearth was not fully exposed and was visible extending under the north baulk of the stripped corridor. Consequently, this feature was preserved in situ.

GREENFIELD Townland

A number of archaeological features and sites were uncovered in Greenfield townland during monitoring of topsoil removal. Some of the features were seemingly isolated, while others comprised groups of features which represent the remains of prehistoric, possibly Bronze Age, structures.

Greenfield 1

Greenfield 1 comprises a partially exposed burnt spread which was preserved in situ and a number of unrelated pits and post-holes located further to the south. The pits and post-holes were subsequently excavated as ground works associated with the excavation of the cable trench was going to directly impact on these features. The majority of the burnt spread was not exposed during topsoil removal, therefore the location of the cable trench was adjusted slightly to allow all of this feature to be preserved in situ.

Greenfield 2

Greenfield 2 comprised a single cremation pit, C52, uncovered during monitoring of topsoil removal where the cable route crossed an existing cable. The pit, which measured 0.48m east-west x 0.43m and 0.21m in depth (max) contained two fills, C50 and C51. The upper fill, C50, comprised a brown-grey sandy silt with occasional charcoal flecks and burnt bone fragments. The primary fill, C51, contained frequent small chunks of burnt bone, occasional charcoal flecks and poorly preserved pottery sherds and fragments. The pottery, burnt bone and soil samples retrieved from this feature require specialist analysis, the results of which will be presented in the final excavation report.

Greenfield 3

Greenfield 3 comprised a partially exposed burnt spread and adjacent cut features uncovered during monitoring of topsoil removal along the cable route corridor in November 2017. The features were located in pasture in the same field as the previously identified Anomaly 1. As with Greenfield 1, the burnt spread at Greenfield 3 was preserved in situ as it was not directly impacted upon by the excavation of the cable trench or the movement of machinery. A short distance to the north of the burnt spread a number of cut features were exposed and subsequently excavated as they would have been directly impacted upon by the excavation of the cable trench. One large pit, C124, was sub-rectangular in plan and measured c. 1.25m in length north-west/south-east x 0.7m in width x 0.5m in depth. It contained three fills, one of which comprised a black fill with frequent inclusions of charcoal and heat-shattered stone, similar to burnt mound material. A number of smaller, shallower pits were located a short distance to the east and were filled with a similar material, albeit less charcoal-rich. These pits were cut by regularly spaced plough furrows. No artefactual material was recovered from the smaller pits, while one flint object came from pit C124. The results of the analysis of the flint and archaeobotanical remains will be presented in the final report.

Approximately 4m to the north of the pits a concentration of stake and post-holes was noted adjacent to the east baulk of the stripped corridor. This area was fully excavated and appears to represent the remains of a possible circular or sub-circular structure. The structure was not fully exposed and extended under the east baulk. The excavated portion of the site measured 2.5m east-west x 2.2m. No artefactual material was recovered from the structure, however, analysis of soil samples taken may provide information on the materials used in its construction and any ecofacts present. 

Greenfield 4

In the same field but further to the north of Greenfield 3 a number of isolated pits and post-holes were uncovered during topsoil removal. The features consisted of three pits and a possible post-hole and were all fully excavated in advance of trenching. No artefactual material was revered from their fills.

Greenfield 5

Approximately 600m further to the north in Greenfield townland a concentration of features was uncovered during monitoring of topsoil removal along the cable corridor in November 2017. Initially the features appeared as a possible curvilinear trench, post-holes and an associated concentration of stake-holes. The area was subsequently manually cleaned and fully excavated showing it to represent the remains of a circular structure. The structure extended under the west baulk of the cable corridor and was not fully exposed. The enclosing element of the structure comprised two relatively shallow curvilinear trenches (C433 and C451), both of which had small stake-holes at the base. These slot trenches were located at the north side of the structure and C433 clearly extended under the west baulk. Further to the east and south-east the perimeter of the structure comprised a series of large stake- and post-holes including a roughly square arrangement of four post-holes which appears to represent an entrance feature. A large concentration of stake-holes occupied the interior, particularly towards the north side of same.

Six pits were also excavated in the interior, with a seventh large cut feature (C550) located at the south side of the structure. The fill of this pit produced four sherds of prehistoric pottery. A preliminary identification of the pottery and the form of the structure would suggest a Bronze Age date, however, this will be confirmed through specialist analysis.

GLASSDRUM TD

Glassdrum 1, 2 and 3

Further to the north in Glassdrum townland a number of isolated pits and post-holes comprising Glassdrum 1, 2 and 3 were uncovered during monitoring of topsoil removal in late November/early December 2017. The features comprised a row of north-east/south-west orientated stake-holes, a pit and three post-holes, all of unknown date. The features were fully excavated.

Tobar Archaeological Services, Saleen, Midleton, Co. Cork