County: Kilkenny Site name: Curraghmartin, Mooncoin
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 20E0623
Author: Marion Sutton & Seán Shanahan, Shanarc Archaeology Ltd.
Site type: Testing; enclosure and other features
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 655330m, N 614603m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.280320, -7.189130
Archaeological test-excavation was carried out from 23 to 26 November 2020 at Curraghmartin, Mooncoin, Co. Kilkenny on behalf of PNG Energy Ltd as part of on-going archaeological mitigation in respect of Condition 17 of the grant of planning pertaining to a ground mounted solar development on agricultural land (Planning Ref. 16/193).
Test-excavation was informed by a geophysical survey, undertaken in accordance with detection device consent no. 20R0209 (Shanahan & Greiner, October 2020). The geophysical survey produced strong evidence for sub-surface archaeological remains at the site, notably a potential circular enclosure at the north-east limit of the site, evidence of historic field systems and areas of concentrated magnetic response. A total of 21 test trenches were excavated across the site.
The combination of geophysical survey and archaeological test-excavation confirmed the presence of a bi-vallate enclosure in the north-east limits of the development site. Test-trenches also confirmed the presence of a number of possibly archaeological linear cuts as well as plough furrows across the site. A number of sub-circular and sub-oval cuts and charcoal-rich deposits were also found, some of which may be archaeological in origin, and which can only be confirmed through excavation.
A small quantity of finds was retrieved as a representative sample of the nature of the material present in the sod and topsoil layer at the site. The retrieved assemblage includes pottery sherds, clay pipe stem fragments, glass shards, occasional fragmented metal and 2 x flint fragments; the latter were recovered exclusively in the topsoil layer above the location of the circular enclosure at the north-east limit of the site.
Unit 39A, Hebron Business Park, Hebron Road, Kilkenny
