Road - class 1 togher

The National Monuments Service's description

This site is located in the industrial peatlands of Kinnegad Bog. The site was recorded in the 2013 Re-assessment survey as an ENE–WSW oriented togher. This monument extended for almost 90m and was identified at five separate locations. It was composed of longitudinal roundwoods which occurred singly or in pairs. Transverse elements were also identified at one sighting in the east and the final sighting also contained at least one plank (Bermingham 2014).

Three cuttings, each measuring 7x2m, were excavated in 2015 (licence 15E0177). The site was located in Sphagnum peat of varying degrees of decomposition and humification. It was dated to cal. 1603-1415 BC (UBA 26631).

At the first cutting (ME-KRS0004a) four charred elements were exposed within the E extent. They consisted of a NE–SW orientated alder roundwood (L0.87m, Diam. 0.08m) and three smaller elements (max. L0.14m, Diam. 0.05m) at its NE extent, one of which was alder and another alder. Two of these smaller elements were also oriented NE–SW, with the third oriented NW–SE, overlying them.

At the second cutting (ME-KRS0004c) the site was composed of irregularly-shaped longitudinal yew, alder and birch elements oriented ENE–WSW. One of the elements was a forked yew branch (L3.57m, Diam. 0.11m). At its eastern extent was a short length of longitudinally-laid, quarter split oak timber (0.72x0.1x0.04m). There were two toolmarks on its western extent with clear signatures. The two elements at the western extent of the cutting were alder and birch and laid parallel to one another (L2.54/3.02m, Diam. 0.05m). Both were in poor condition.

No extant remains of the site were found at the third cutting (ME-KRS0004e).

Compiled by: Jane Whitaker/Femke Vleeshouwer

Date of upload: 27/02/2020

References

Whitaker, J. 2017 Final Excavation Report, Kinnegad Bog, Co. Meath (15E0160–15E0177). Unpublished report prepared by IAC Ltd submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin.

Bermingham, N. 2014 Archaeological Survey of Ireland Peatland Survey 2013: Kinnegad (Rossan) Bog, Co Meath. Unpublished Archaeological Survey report submitted to DOEHLG