Road - class 1 togher

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated in flat bog with good views in all directions. Discovered in 1960 and recorded by Rynne (1965a, 138-44) who described the togher as a trackway (Wth 3m) orientated on a SW-NE direction consisting of roughly hewn planks laid transversely across runners running parallel to the track. The transverse planks had square holes in their ends which accommodated long pegs (L 50cm) which anchored the planks to the track. The planks used were identified as oak, while the runners were of oak, cherry or blackthorn and probably alder while the pegs were of ash and willow-poplar. A Late Bronze Age leaf-shaped sword was discovered between the timbers of the exposed togher in 1990 (Cherry et al. 1991, 52). This togher, identified for a length of 593m, was being destroyed by peat milling when inspected by the Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (UCD) in 1995.
The Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (UCD) also identified a number of other toghers (TN042-039002) in the immediate vicinity. These included a togher composed of roundwoods with peripheral brushwoods (Wth 4.2m; D 0.55m) orientated WNW-ESE; one of half-split planks and roundwoods (Wth 0.58m; D 0.11m) orientated E-W; one of roundwoods and brushwoods (Wth 0.66m; D 0.12m) orientated E-W; one of substantial roundwoods with very compact and lighter roundwoods (Wth 5.8m; D 0.05m) and one of irregularly laid roundwoods and brushwoods (Wth 1.97m; D 0.56) orientated N-S (pers. comm. Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (UCD)).

A survey carried out by Archaeological Development Services in 2006 found that 'within the bog itself are two areas of archaeological activity, in the townlands of Leigh (TN042-056----) and Longfordpass South (TN042-039001-). Three trackways recorded in the townland of Leigh (TN042-056) in the 1960s and in 1995 were not re-identified during the 2006 survey, but the substantial gravel and wood trackway in Longfordpass South (TN042-039001-) was recorded as LTNO01. There are a large number of stray finds recorded from Littleton Bog and its environs in the files of the NMI. These finds consist of five bronze swords, one of which was found in the trackway site (TN042-039), several leather shoes and wooden objects, two bog butter containers, a leather and wooden shield, a bronze spearhead and several stone objects. The majority of these finds came from the townlands of Clonoura and Derryhogan, to the south of the bog, although there have also been several finds from the northern part of the bog, where archaeological sites were recorded during the course of the survey in the townlands of Leigh and Longfordpass. This trackways was dated to 1190-900BC and was described by ADS as a 'plank trackway was visible, on the field surface and in the drain faces, at eighteen sightings across the northwestern corner of Littleton Bog. The trackway was orientated northwest-southeast and sixteen of the eighteen sightings were recorded (TI-LTNO01i and TILTNOO1q were very ephemeral and consisted of displaced stone spreads). The site was composed of transverse planks supported by longitudinal planks overlaid or underlain by brushwood and roundwood longitudinals. Gravel, pebbles and stones were also recorded, both -above and below the planks. Pegs were also recorded at some sightings. This site is recorded in the RMP as TN042-039 and was also recorded during the IAWU pilot survey in 1995. A late Bronze Age leaf-shaped sword was discovered between the planks of this site in 1990 by a BnM worker' (Whitaker 2006, 56).

The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 17 August 2012

References

Whitaker, J. 2007 Peatland Survey 2006 Littleton Group of Bogs, Counties Tipperary, Kilkenny and Laois. Unpublished report, DOEHLG, National Monuments Service.