County: Louth Site name: CARN MORE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E0371
Author: Fintan Walsh, IAC Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 704093m, N 810908m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.036843, -6.410864
Testing was undertaken at Site 16(5) of Section 2 of the Dundalk Western Bypass, Co. Louth. Site 16(5), in the townland of Carn More, was interpreted in the environmental impact statement as an enclosure and possible field system. It was identified as a cropmark indicating a subcircular enclosure measuring c. 47m east–west by 42m, with suggestions of an attached field system. There was no indication of the site from a simple field inspection. It occupied rising ground on the side of a low but large drumlin. Indications of a cropmark were observed in the aerial survey at the location of this site (SMR 4:67). The environmental impact statement found that the motorway development would run adjacent to, if not over, part of the enclosure site (Site 16(5)).
A test-trenching strategy was proposed that initially involved the excavation of twelve trenches across the site. However, toward the end of the testing programme the landowner began ploughing and seeding the field before forecasted bad weather. The field in which the site lay was not subject to a compulsory purchase order. As a result, the testing had to be halted. Eight trenches had been excavated up to this point.
A number of archaeological and agricultural features were recorded. Four concentrations of archaeology were identified. Area 1 consisted of a number of small pits and a possible ditch feature, including the remains of a possible field boundary. These features were found at the western and eastern ends of Trench 1 and in the northern half of Trench 2. Area 2 consisted of a spread of burning with associated stake-holes and pits. No definite dating evidence was recovered from any of the features, although a piece of struck flint was found associated with the burnt spread. Area 3 consisted of a number of small features of possible archaeological significance, including the remains of a south-east/north-west linear field ditch(?), which was also recorded in Trenches 5 and 6. Area 4 consisted of a number of small pits, one of which contained evidence of in situ burning, and a linear feature containing a well-defined stone setting.
Between Trench 8 and the northern limits of the road-take a number of linear field ditches were recorded (c. 0.6m deep on average); no datable evidence was recovered from any hand-tested sections across these features.
8 Dungar Terrace, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
