Road - class 2 togher

The National Monuments Service's description

This site is located in the industrial peatlands of Lough Bannow Bog. The three sites mentioned below were originally recorded as separate structures but following excavation were subsequently interpreted as being part of the same togher structure, roughly orientated E-W. The site was situated in raised bog peats. It was dated to the Neolithic, specifically to cal. 2863-2501 BC (UBA .....).

LF-LBW014 (Photo 1) was recorded in the 2013 Re-assessment survey as a single roundwood exposed in section in the drain face 0.47m below the field surface, with a small root beside it (Whitaker 2014). It was excavated under licence 15E2013. The site consisted of predominantly ENE–WSW orientated, closely placed roundwood and brushwood elements, 1.6-2.3m in width. These were supported by a substructure composed of closely placed SSE–NNW orientated brushwood, secured by pegs. Eleven of the elements had toolmarked ends. Most elements were in poor condition. Three sondages were excavated to the W of the cutting, revealing possible hurdle panels and a roundwood and brushwood deposit.

The other sighting was recorded as a togher, visible in section in the drain face 0.18m below the drain surface (Whitaker 2014). It was excavated under licence 15E0208. Here, the upper surface of the togher (W1.5-4.03m) was composed of closely placed, transversely laid, roundwood and brushwood elements (Photo 2). The majority of the elements were soft and spongy in texture although most had intact bark. Underlying the superstructure were E-W orientated, densely placed roundwood and brushwood longitudinals, with lighter brushwood used as packing (Photo 3). The elements were in moderate condition with many elements retaining their bark. Pegs delineated the site. Several toolmarked ends were noted in both structures. The elements were species identified as alder and birch with lesser amounts of ash, holly, hazel, elm, and pomoideae.

A possible separate structure (LBW017, see Photo ), oriented NE–SW, was uncovered at the W extent of the site, 1.5m to the N in the drain face (Photo 4). It was composed of longitudinally-laid brushwood and roundwood elements, secured by pegs. The elements were closely placed, laid two to three elements deep and were in moderate to poor condition. They were species identified as alder, ash, with lesser amounts of hazel, holly and willow.

Compiled by: Jane Whitaker/Femke Vleeshouwer

Date of upload: 28/02/2020

References

Whitaker, J. 2017 Final Excavation Report, Lough Bannow Bog, Co. Longford (15E0205–15E0213). Unpublished report prepared by IAC Ltd submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin.

Whitaker, J. 2014 Re‐assessment Peatland Survey 2013, Blackwater, Boora, Derrydreenagh, Mountdillon Group of Bogs, County Offaly, Longford, Westmeath and Roscommon. Unpublished report prepared by ADS for Bord na Móna.