2022:881 - Lysaghstown, Cork

Archaeological test trenching was undertaken in compliance with a a grant of planning permission by Cork County Council.  There are no recorded monuments within the proposed development area or in the immediate vicinity. A geophysical survey was carried out (21R0292) which did not indicate the definitive likelihood of archaeological features, notwithstanding some isolated responses which were identified as having ‘limited archaeological potential’. These responses, along with other liner trends, were interpreted as agricultural in origin; they were subject to test-trenching, along with other areas where the development was likely to have a sub-surface impact.

Of the fourteen trenches excavated across the site, only one contained archaeological material. Four earth-cut features were uncovered in Trench 10 corresponding to a small iron-working site or smithy. The features identified in the other trenches correspond to agricultural furrows and relict field boundaries of indeterminate date, but most likely to be of relatively modern date (post 17^th century. All of the field fences had been detected by the geophysical survey). The relict field boundary ditches are also indicated on the historic mapping of the area.  Field fences of early modern times are not classed as archaeological features.

An extension to the licence was sought in order to excavate and thereby clarify and resolve the extent and morphology of the features identified in Trench 10.

The excavation  revealed evidence of an isolated iron-working smithy probably dating to the 13^th or early 14^th century. The archaeo-metallurgical evidence suggests the site was used for secondary smithing. The metal-working residues retrieved mostly comprised small drippy slag lumps, patty slags and smithing cakes, the latter are convex lumps of slag that form below the hot zone of a furnace as a result of refining or smithing. The hammerscale found at Lysaghtstown would have been produced when hot iron was hammered on an anvil, with the spherical hammerscale indicating that fire welding may have taken place. The hammerscale, both spherical and flakes, were found in all of the charcoal-enriched pits suggesting the former presence of an anvil in the immediate area. The charcoal appears mostly to be of oak, with large charred fragments uncovered in a furnace pit (F20). Oak was the preferred wood for metalworking as it produced higher temperatures than other woods and burned for a longer time.

The only  finds recovered from the site were two small sherds of medieval pottery, two corroded fragments of iron, possible nails, and a piece of sheet metal that could be a blade of an iron knife. Some later iron objects were also recovered from the relict field boundary ditch, however these are probably post-medieval in date and unrelated to the ironworking site.