County: Limerick Site name: NEWTOWN B and D
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 01E0056 ext.
Author: Avril Hayes, Ægis Archaeology Ltd.
Site type: Hut site and Fulacht fia
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 562958m, N 656243m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.656118, -8.547490
Newtown B consisted of a circular hut site composed of post- and stake-holes, a cluster of stake-holes and a curvilinear feature, all of which had been truncated by a series of ridges and furrows. All of the features were overlain by topsoil and were cut into the natural subsoil. A number of isolated features were excavated in the same field. Two fulachta fiadh (Newtown D) were located 150m east of the hut site at Newtown B. The sites were excavated in August 2001.
Newtown D consisted of the heavily truncated remains of two fulachta fiadh. The eastern one continued beyond the line of the road to the south. The western example, circular in shape, was completely excavated. It consisted of a moderately loose dark blackish brown sandy silt composed mainly of angular fragments of burnt stone. The deposit measured 15.5m east–west by 18.4m and was 0.4m in depth. The uppermost fulacht fiadh material was heavily disturbed and was dragged across the site. It was cut by two furrows.
A large pit was located under the fulacht fiadh material to the north of the western example. It was subcircular in shape and contained four fills. It measured 5.6m by 4.5m and was 2m deep. This pit may have been the area in which the trough was located. The basal fill consisted of a series of randomly arranged planks and branches which may have formed the lining of the trough but which were subsequently obscured by a dump of material and collapse from the side of the pit. Fragments of animal bone were recovered from the basal fill.
16 Avondale Court, Corbally, Limerick
