House — Neolithic in Ryleen

Located towards the outer edge of a shelf on a SW-facing slope of Lacken Hill. A rectangular Neolithic house (ext. dims 8.5m NW-SE; 6.25m NE-SW; int. dims. 6.75m NW-SE; 5.2m NE-SW) defined by fragments of slot-trenches, together with six pits and a segment of a ditch (Wth 2m; D 0.4m) were identified in centre-line testing (E4067) for the N25 New Ross by-pass during 2009. Three of the pits (diam. 0.4-1.2m; max. D 0.2m) were within the house (Doyle et al. 2010, 39-40). It was set aside for resolution as Ryleen 2 when full excavation (E4116) recorded the Neolithic house defined partly by post and wattle construction and partly by plank walls. It had a NE-SW internal division defined by slot-trenches that had a central opening (Wth 1.4m) between two post-holes that also supported the roof, but an entrance from the outside was not identified. There was no evidence of an internal hearth, although the structure was burnt down. Twelve pits (dims 0.08m; D 0.09m to 1.4m x 0.55m; D 0.25m) were in the vicinity of the house, largely to the SE and S (Hession 2010, 9-25). Other features, largely isolated pits, were found c. 20-60m to the W (ibid. 25-32). (Hession 2013) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 September, 2013