Structure — peatland in Straduff

This site (L 282.32m; Wth 21.54m; D 0.15m min.), orientated NE-SW consists predominantly of a dispersed spread of longitudinal planks (Wth 0.11-0.41m; D 0.04-0.1m) evident at thirty sightings in the drain face. At a number of sightings, the site consists of 1-3 radially or tangentially split planks. Occasionally, however, more wood is incorporated into the site. At the most NE sighting, the structure appears at its most cohesive. Here, the site (Wth 3.1m; D 0.15m) is aligned longitudinally in the main concentration (Wth 1.4m). This consists of two planks set on a substructure of roundwoods, brushwood, woodchips and another plank. A roundwood and some brushwood on the E side of the main deposit, orientated E-W, extend the width of the site. One of the central planks has a mortice at on end. The underlying material consists of more irregular brushwood (diam. 0.02-0.05m), and a third plank on the W side of the site. A peg is set at a 45° angle 0.75m NW of the main body of material. Approximately 3m to the SE, two pieces of light brushwood are located on the field surface. The wood is in very poor condition. The site is located within poorly humified Sphagnum peat containing ericaceous root and Eriophorum. Occasional sand and quartz grains are noted in the peat and are likely to derive from the nearby dryland. At another sighting, three planks are located up to 15m apart in the drain face. One plank is associated with oak woodchips and fragments, bark, twigs and a peg. This plank produced a dendrochronological date of 953±9 BC or later (Q9293). The central plank of this group produced a dendrochronological date of 910±9 BC or later (Q9292). It sits in well-humified Sphagnum and Eriophorum peat with some ericaceous root and Menyanthes seeds. At the centre of the complex, two planks are located in the drain face. In the opposing drain face, smaller split timbers, woodchips and a possible peg are evident. The planks are set adjacent to one another in moderately humified Sphagnum and Eriophorum peat and are overlain by well-humified Sphagnum peat containing Eriophorum. Recorded by the Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (University College, Dublin) in 1996. The evidence is not sufficient to warrant its acceptance as the remains of an archaeological monument. The original survey description was compiled by the Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (University College, Dublin). Assessed and revised by: Caimin O'Brien, Paul Walsh Date of upload: 23 May 2011