2023:414 - Ballyconra 1, Kilkenny

Stage (iii) Excavations were undertaken at Ballyconra 1 as part of the N77 Ballyragget Village to Ballynaslee Road Improvement Scheme, Co. Kilkenny.

Ballyconra 1 consisted of the remains of two vernacular structures comprising a house and outbuilding. The extent of the site was assessed during Stage (i)a Test Excavations undertaken in 2022 by AMS (Channing 2023).

The on-site Stage (iii) Excavation Services at Ballyconra 1 were conducted between 28 March and 14 April 2023. The foundations of the two structures lay approximately 15m apart. The north-western structure (Ballyconra 1a) was aligned approximately east–west and measured 6.7m by 4.34m. It consisted of two rooms. Deposits of cobbling underlay the structure intimating an earlier phase of activity at the site. A large pit within the eastern room was later backfilled with modern debris. The south-eastern structure (Ballyconra 1b) was aligned west-north-west/east-south-east and measured 8.7m by 5.4m. It consisted of two main rooms with two additional rooms added to the south-eastern and north-western ends of the structure. An external cobbled yard and retaining wall were identified to the south and east. A partially truncated area of cobbling under the western extension of the main building represented an earlier phase of activity.

Both structures are depicted on the 25-inch map surveyed in 1899 but are substantially different in form from structures depicted at the same location on the first-edition six-inch map, surveyed 1838. Finds include reused fragments of architectural stone and a perforated kiln tile.

References
Channing, J. 2023. N77 Ballyragget Village to Ballynaslee Road Improvement Scheme: Stage (i)a and Stage (i)f Report. Unpublished report by Archaeological Management Solutions on behalf of Kilkenny County Council.