Platform - peatland

The National Monuments Service's description

This site is located in the industrial peatlands of Cloonshannagh Bog. It was first recorded in the 2013 Peatland Reassessment Survey as a roundwood superstructure overlaying a brushwood substructure, exposed on the field surface (Whitaker 2014).

The site was excavated in 2014 under licence 14E0268, and dated to cal. AD 657-858. It was found to be a platform orientated E-W, although the precise limits were difficult to establish. The main structure consisted of longitudinally laid heavy brushwoods interspersed with 2–3 small roundwoods and lighter brushwood. There was a cluster of possible pegs/stakes at the S end. The wood was generally well preserved with the exception of elements that had been damaged on the surface by milling.
An additional slot trench was opened 1.2m to the E of the main cutting. A number of elements were evident, notably however extending N-S, effectively transverse to the main elements. A second slot trench was opened to the S of the main cutting. A couple of elements were identified, but there was no clear structure to the material.
The wood species identified was predominantly birch, with some alder, ash, elm, pomoideae and hazel also present (Coughlan and Whitaker 2019).

Compiled by: Femke Vleeshouwer/Jane Whitaker/Tim Coughlan

Date of upload: 17 April 2020

References

Coughlan, T & Whitaker, J 2019 Final excavation report Cloonshannagh Bog, Co Roscommon. Bord na Mona Peatland Archaeological Services 2014-2017. Unpublished report submitted to DOEHLG & BnM

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 Unpublished report prepared by ADS for Bord na Móna.