Structure - peatland

The National Monuments Service's description

This site is located in the industrial peatlands of Daingean South Bog. It was first recorded in the 2013 Reassessment Peatland Survey as a NW-SE orientated machine-damaged brushwood togher, exposed on three adjacent field surfaces (Whitaker 2014). On excavation in 2014 (licence 14E0304) it was interpreted as a peatland structure. It was dated to cal. AD 1441-1619 (UBA 26595).

A single cutting, measuring 3x2m, was opened. The structure was overlain by poorly humified Sphagnum peat with frequent herbaceous roots. It was composed of a haphazard arrangement of roundwood and brushwood elements (L0.01-1.1m), and measured 0.95-2m in width and 0.2m in depth.
The elements at the SE extent of the cutting were broadly parallel with some transverse elements diving below the surface, while those at the NE extent were irregular in shape as well as positioning. An oak plank fragment was retrieved from under the roundwoods at the NW extent. The underlying Sphagnum peat was moderately well-humified and contained herbaceous material.
Some brushwood samples were identified to be alder, birch, hazel and pomoideae. Two toolmarked ends were noted on site, a chisel-point and wedge-point. One timber contained two dished facets (Whitaker 2017).

Compiled by: Jane Whitaker/Femke Vleeshouwer

Date of upload: 26 February 2020

References

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 Unpublished report prepared by ADS for Bord na Móna.

Whitaker, J. 2017 Final Excavation Report, Daingean South, Co. Offaly (14E0300-14E0311). Unpublished report prepared by IAC Ltd submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin.