County: Wicklow Site name: BALLYNABARNY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E0646
Author: Tim Coughlan, IAC Ltd.
Site type: Burnt pit and Burnt spread
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 727345m, N 693487m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.976999, -6.103781
Testing was undertaken at Ballynabarny, Co. Wicklow, on the site of a proposed borrow pit (Borrow Pit 3) associated with the new N11 Road Scheme, from 9 to 13 May 2002. This was carried out using a mechanical digger fitted with a flat, toothless bucket. Seven trenches were excavated, with an average of three branches opened at right angles to each of the main trenches.
The results were varied. In Trenches 1–3, in the south and east of the field, and in Trench 6, in the north-west of the field, nothing of archaeological significance was identified. However, material of possible significance was recorded in Trenches 4, 5, and 7. This consisted predominantly of small, localised areas of burning or small pits with associated burnt material or charcoal. It was not clear whether any of the features were associated with each other, but the results of the testing suggest a possible concentration of material in the centre and north of the field. There was no evidence of large-scale sites/activity, so it is probable that the material identified represents small-scale, localised activity. It was noted that the areas of potential corresponded to the flatter areas of the field, with the other areas being moderately to steeply sloped.
It was recommended that the areas of archaeology identified during the testing programme be stripped of topsoil and fully recorded before any development works and that all other areas of topsoil-stripping be monitored with a provision for full excavation of all identified archaeological remains.
8 Dungar Terrace, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
