1999:151 - INCH AND BALLYRENAN: 1, Down

The Phase 2 excavations on this site, following Phase 1 undertaken by Ciara MacManus in 1998 (Excavations 1998, 33–4), uncovered a high density of archaeological activity, ranging in date from the Neolithic to the medieval, in a flat field alongside the Inch Abbey Road.

A substantial linear ditch, containing 13th-century pottery sherds and measuring c. 3m wide and 1.5m deep, was uncovered in the north of the field. Ten metres south of this a stone-lined pit, 0.5m in diameter and 0.3m deep, and two associated parallel narrow slots, each c. 1m long, were investigated. The soil between the two slots showed signs of intense burning. No artefacts were recovered from any of these features.

Adjacent to this a three-phased subrectangular enclosure was uncovered. A narrow subrectangular gully (c. 0.5m wide and 0.3m deep), enclosing an area c. 14m x 13m, was cut by a larger gully up to 2m wide and 1m deep. This second gully enclosed a larger area of 23m x c. 18m, and its northern half was cut by a curvilinear gully c. 1m wide and 1m in maximum depth. In plan the gullies appeared to be concentric, the earlier being enclosed by the later. An Early Christian date was indicated by the recovery of souterrain ware from the middle phase gully, and the enclosures are suspected of having an agricultural function, because of the lack of occupation evidence in the interior. These gullies also cut a circular feature c. 15m in diameter. This consisted of at least one ring (but possibly two concentric rings) of possible post-holes. Cremated remains were recovered from two of the potential post-holes, and sherds of pottery found in association with the circular feature suggest a Neolithic date. This may indicate a ritual function, and the suggestion is that the feature represented the remains of a timber circle.

South-west of the circular structure two ring-ditches were uncovered. The larger of these was 5m in diameter and enclosed a cremation burial. The burial consisted of a circular pit into which a flat stone slab had been placed. A crude vessel of probable Bronze Age date containing cremated remains was placed on the stone slab. A further deposit of cremated remains was revealed adjacent to the vessel. Two similar, crude, cist-like burials were discovered to the south of this point.

Approximately 15m south of the Early Christian subrectangular features, evidence of a rath, 27m in diameter, was uncovered. An entrance was discovered in the west. To the south of the entrance the ditch contained souterrain ware and had maximum dimensions of 3m wide and 2m deep. This stepped up to a depth of 0.5m as it approached the entrance. The ditch to the north of the entrance was a maximum of 1m wide and 0.5m deep. No evidence of a bank or occupation was discovered internally. Although such evidence may have been removed during the construction of the road, it is possible that this rath was never finished and that the narrower ditch was a marker gully for the digging of the more substantial cut.

South of this feature, evidence of two Bronze Age hut circles was revealed. The more complete example was 8–9m in diameter. This had a narrow wall slot and internal post-holes to provide roof support. The entrance faced east and consisted of a porch-like feature of four post-holes.

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