Enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

On a slightly raised and rounded plateau on a S-facing slope in pasture. Excavated in 2006-7 in advance of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford Road Improvement Scheme. Excavation licence no. 2517, AR053, Area B and C. One of a cluster of monuments found in close proximity to each other in an area c. 1.8ha with dates ranging from the Late Neolithic to the early medieval period. A subcircular palisaded enclosure (diam. c. 41.5m) evidenced by a foundation slot-trench with three gaps that may be original. A post-pipe from the palisade yielded a calibrated radiocarbon date of 71-215 Cal AD (UB10703). Four circular post-built structures (KK031-077----) lie at NE while within the enclosure are a rectangular structure surrounding a pit and other domestic pits. A series of kilns (KK031-088----) and metalworking furnaces (KK031-087----) were found in association with the enclosing feature. An earlier flat cemetery (KK031-080----) was found both inside and outside the W extent. The enclosure was truncated by a later field system (KK031-084----) at E and by a ringfort (KK031-082----) at NW. (Channing 2009, 255-6, no. 1003; 2010a, 234, no. 881; 2010b)

Compiled by: Mary Tunney

Date of upload: 25 September 2013

References

Channing 2010a Baysrath. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2007: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 234, no. 881. Bray. Wordwell.

Channing, J. 2009 AR053/54, Baysrath. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2006: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 255-6, no. 1003. Bray. Wordwell.

Channing, J. 2010b N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford: Waterford to Powerstown – Phase 2 Archaeological resolution, Final Report, 3 vols. A032, E2517, Site AR53/54, Baysrath, Co Kilkenny. Unpublished excavation report submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin.