Structure in Kilmainham (kells Upper By., Teltown Par.)

Two houses and two structures from the Early Neolithic (c. 4000 BC - c. 2800 BC) were recorded. This oval feature (Structure IV) was located towards the bottom of the NE-facing slope of the ridge and c. 5m NE of the Early Neolithic house, Structure 1. This slight structure (dims 3.8m E-W; 2.5m N-S) was defined by a circle of ten stakeholes and one posthole surrounding an inner ring of four stakeholes and a central stakehole. No artefacts were recovered from this structure, but a sample of hazel charcoal from the posthole yielded a C14 date of 3776-3659 cal. BC (UBA 12906), providing an Early Neolithic date. The function is not clear and it may have been a small animal pen, but a small cluster of six stakeholes just to the SE was undoubtedly connected with it. A pit (dims 0.6m x 0.48m; D 0.3m) just 2m to the W that was itself cut by a pit with Beaker sherds produced two sherds of Early Neolithic pottery and four flints. A fragment of fruitstone charcoal from a stakehole just outside it at SW provided a C14 date of 2857-2573 cal. BC (UBA 12902) but this probably relates to a line of N-S stakeholes further S (Walsh 2011, vol. 1, 154-5). (Walsh 2011, vol. 1, 43-6) True location: ITM (675681, 774116) See the attached plans adapted from Walsh (2011, vol. 2, figs 6, 7, 9) ME017-087_1 Site plan; ME017-087_2 Contour plan; ME017-087_3 Location; ME017-087004-_1 Location; ME017-087004-_2 Monument plan; Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 16 March 2022