Archaeological excavation report, E2264 Clonrud 3, County Laois

The proposed M7 Portlaoise to Castletown/M8 Portlaoise to Cullahill Motorway Scheme consists of approximately 41km of motorway and 11km of single dual carriageway commencing to the southwest of the existing Portlaoise Bypass and running in a southern direction tying into the existing N8 at Oldtown. A portion of the scheme runs to the west tying into the existing N7 near Borris-in-Ossory. The Archaeological Works contract is subdivided into three separate contracts. Contract 3 extends from the townland of Clonboyne to Gortnaclea and consists of approximately 15km of motorway and associated link roads and re-alignments. The following report describes the results of archaeological excavation at a site designated Clonrud 3 along Contract 3 (Clonboyne to Gortnaclea) of the planned M7 Portlaoise- Castletown/M8 Portlaoise-Cullahill Motorway Scheme, County Laois. The site was identified during archaeological testing (Testing Area 11) carried out by Ken Wiggins of Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd in March – May 2005. 136 trenches were excavated within Field 238 (Plot 206) and two spreads of charcoal-enriched clay and fragmented burnt stone of potential archaeological significance were identified. The site was designated Clonrud 3. Archaeological resolution of Clonrud 3 commenced on the 30th May 2006 and was completed on 19th June 2006. Ken Wiggins, ACS Ltd, directed the excavation. For recording purposes the site was designated the scheme no A015/161 and record E2264. The stripped area measured 40m (east-west) by 35m and was located on sloping pasture above waterlogged ground. Topsoil stripping on this site revealed a limited number of archaeological features including a number of shallow irregular spreads of black charcoal-enriched clay containing heat-shattered sandstone fragments, indicators for the use of hot-stone technology, below which were four large pits or troughs, three grouped about the north end of the side, the other, which had some timber elements along the base, detached to the south. The site was bounded to the north by a ditch aligned eastwest, which truncated one of the troughs. The ditch corresponded with a field boundary line shown on the 1st edition OS map (1839). The only find was a curved iron fragment from the fill of the ditch (E2264:12:1).