County: Kilkenny Site name: Lousybush
Sites and Monuments Record No.: KK019-007- Licence number: 22E0154
Author: Padraig Dunne
Site type: Testing, multi-period
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 649403m, N 657184m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.663582, -7.269675
Archaeological testing of the proposed development site at CBS Secondary School, Lousybush, County Kilkenny, entailed the excavation of 58 linear test trenches totalling 3,710 linear metres within a 7.5 hectare area. The licensed use of a metal-detector was incorporated into the test trenching investigations to assist in artefact retrieval (Detection Device Licence ref. 22R0067) however, no potential archaeological artefacts were recovered.
Potential archaeological features were uncovered within eight of the 58 test trenches investigated within the two fields that comprise the subject site. In total over 13 potential archaeological features were identified including two potential barrows, four pits including a potential bowl furnace and burnt spread and two associated pits. These features have been categorised into three distinct archaeological sites and in summary comprise the following:
Site 01, located at the north-western corner of Field 1, within the general area of RMP-K019-007- consisted of a potential barrow approximately 10m in diameter, a smaller barrow-type feature between 5-6m in diameter, a possible cremation pit, bowl furnace and two potential refuse pits. Several linear and curvilinear features and charcoal stains on the surface of the subsoil were also revealed which may indicate the presence of further archaeology activity.
Site 02, located within a large natural hollow towards the centre of Field 2, consisted of an extensive fulacht fiadh defined by one large mound of heat-shattered stone 1.5-2m below the existing surface level and overlying an extensive deposit of colluvium or hill wash. A possible surface deposit containing a possible flint core and two potential pieces of flint debitage and a possible linear feature were uncovered at a similar depth in an adjacent test trench.
Site 03, located towards the south-eastern corner of Field 2 consisted of a curvilinear spread of heat-shattered stone measuring 3.5m in width with two small possible pits at its north-west margins.
John Cronin & Associates, 3A Westpoint Trade Centre, Ballincollig, Co. Cork
