County: Wexford Site name: ST VOGUE'S
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E0434
Author: John Purcell, Archaeological Services Unit Ltd.
Site type: Pit
Period/Dating: Neolithic (4000BC-2501 BC)
ITM: E 712145m, N 603941m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.175875, -6.360307
Monitoring was carried out on groundworks before the construction of a wind farm at Carnsore Point, Co. Wexford (No. 1918, Excavations 2002, 02E0160). During the excavation of Turbine Base 7 a subcircular feature was uncovered. The pit, which measured 1.9m north–south by 1.63m and was 0.54m deep, had gently sloping sides and a somewhat rounded base. Two areas in the base and the side of the pit had been burnt. Finds included Late Neolithic Sandhills ware, a number of flints including a bipolar core, and a worked pumice stone. Pumice stones were often used in the production of bone tools.
Similar assemblages have been uncovered at sites along the coastline of the Irish Sea and Scotland, usually in association with habitation sites. There is no evidence of this, or of the activities associated with the finds, at St Vogue’s. This may exist in the vicinity of the site, outside the development area.
Department of Archaeology, University College Cork
