County: Kilkenny Site name: Loughmerans, Co. Kilkenny
Sites and Monuments Record No.: KK014-096 Licence number: 22E0013
Author: Seán Shanahan & Grace Fegan; Shanarc Archaeology Ltd.
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 650073m, N 659420m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.683616, -7.259432
Archaeological test-excavations were carried out on 21st March 2022 in relation to works forming part of the Kilkenny City Regional Water Supply Scheme Upgrade, in Troyswood & Loughmerans townlands, Co. Kilkenny (see separate entry 2022:652 for excavations in Troyswood under same licence number).
The site is located in close proximity to the location of castle KK014-096. A geophysical survey at the recorded location, and to the south thereof, of castle KK014-096 was completed by Shanarc Archaeology Ltd. under detection device consent licence 21R0314 in January 2022. The geophysical survey results identified three areas of concentrated magnetic response, including at the recorded location of KK014-096. It was concluded that the strong magnetic response at these areas could derive from the presence of structural or construction debris or indicate modern ferrous disturbance. Potential archaeological anomalies, most likely in the form of pits, were also recorded in the results.
The test-excavation trench array was informed by the results of the geophysical survey, and tested the identified areas of concentrated magnetic response and other potential archaeological anomalies.
Six test trenches were machine excavated to address the archaeological potential within the wayleave of the Kilkenny City Regional Water Supply Scheme Upgrade in Loughmerans townland, at the currently recorded potential location of castle (unclassified) KK014-096. The recorded location of the latter is acknowledged to be arbitrary in the RMP record, and the site is not scheduled for inclusion in the next revision of the Record of Monuments and Places.
All trenches displayed evidence of modern disturbance, in the form of quarrying, land in-filling, and the installation of drains/services, these activities accounting for the areas of concentrated magnetic response identified in the geophysical survey, and corresponding to earlier findings of geotechnical site investigation monitoring.
No features or materials of archaeological significance were uncovered during test excavation. In particular, no evidence of a former castle or medieval settlement at this location was found.
Unit 39a, Hebron Business Park, Hebron Road, Kilkenny
