Road - class 2 togher

The National Monuments Service's description

The site (L 29.55m min.; Wth 1.9m; D 0.17m) is orientated NE-SW and is composed of half-split timbers and occasional mixed brushwood, with pegs. The half-split timbers (diam. 0.01-0.13m) are closely set and are aligned transversely, with evidence for a single longitudinal timber along the W edge of the site. A small lens of sand occurs beneath one timber. The pegs sit in vertical or near-vertical positions and aligned along the SW side of the site. A number of metal-cut chisel points, a wedge point and the timbers attest to woodworking. One of these timbers, one has a possible mortice and there are further timber off-splits and evidence of branch-trimming. The wood is in poor condition as a result of milling and exposure. It is in well-humified Sphagnum peat containing Eriophorum and ericaceous remains with a lot of non-archaeological wood. Occasional hazelnut shells occur around the site. The site is 1.35m to the E of SMR OF018-087---- with the sites SMR OF018-088---- and SMR OF018-089---- in the vicinity on the field surface.

Compiled by: Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (University College Dublin).

This site was recorded by the Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (UCD) in 2001 as a secondary togher orientated from north-east to southwest and identified at two sightings, one on the field surface and the other in the opposing drain face (Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (UCD) 2002). The north-eastern extent was recorded as being 0.66m below the field surface and consisting of half-split timbers and occasional mixed brushwood, with pegs noted on the field surface. One cutting was excavated over each sighting of OFCL00009. Both cuttings under licence no. 04E0726 measured 5m by 3m. This site appeared to be a short length of trackway orientated from east-north-east to west-south-west across the bog from the dry land to the north-east. Unfortunately, this site had been badly damaged and the different field heights in this area suggest that the site may have been destroyed in adjacent fields. The fact that in Cutting 1, which was on a high field, the track only runs for some 3.4m may reflect highly localised peat conditions (i.e. that this was a particularly wet area of bog), while slightly further to the east-north-east the bog was drier and did not require a wooden walking surface. The proximity of this site to OF-CL00004 (No. 1389 above) and the fact that they follow roughly the same orientation suggests a possible relationship between them. It is hoped that further analysis of the types of wood used and dating evidence will help to interpret this site in relation to the other activity on the bog.
Reference
Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (UCD) 2002 Archaeological survey report: Clonad Bog, Co. Offaly. Unpublished report commissioned by Dœchas, the Heritage Service.
Eoin Corcoran, Archaeological Development Services Ltd, Windsor House, 11 Fairview Strand, Dublin 3.

Date of revision: 23 April 2009