2002:1979 - MILLTOWN NORTH (Monitoring Site 14), Wicklow

Excavations of Monitoring Site 14 as part of the N11 Newtownmountkennedy–Ballynabarny Road Scheme began in May 2002 and continued for four weeks. The site, which had been identified during monitoring of topsoil-stripping, consisted primarily of a large circular ring-ditch, with a second, much smaller ring-ditch to its north-east and various randomly scattered concentrations of pits to the north, east and south of these two features. It was c. 500m north of Monitoring Site 15 (the ploughed-out remains of a fulacht fiadh (No. 1944, Excavations 2002, 02E0542) and c. 500m south of Monitoring Site 13 (No. 1955, Excavations 2002, 02E0547).

Ring-ditch 1 was roughly circular, with an internal diameter of 7.4m and an external diameter of 10.5m. Cut into subsoil to a depth of 1m, the ditch was roughly U-shaped in section and c. 1.25m wide. Two urn burials were recorded in the interior of Ring-ditch 1. Both of these were excavated and removed with a conservator in attendance, in order to preserve as much of the original vessel as possible. The nature of the original pits and vessels was not fully evident at the time of excavation.

Urn Burial 1 was in the north-western quadrant of the ring-ditch and appeared to be heavily truncated. It was contained in a pit, which was roughly circular and had a diameter of 0.35m. The pit, as excavated, was cut into subsoil to a depth of 0.2m. It contained a single fill, of a loose, mid-brown, silty clay. Fragments of pottery and burnt bone were recorded on the surface of the pit and extended east for c. 0.3m, forming a shallow spread, with a maximum depth of 0.01m.

Urn Burial 2 was c. 0.5m east of Urn Burial 1. This feature had also been heavily truncated. The pit, as excavated, was roughly circular, with a diameter of 0.3m, and was cut into subsoil to a depth of 0.15m. It contained a single fill, a loose, mid-brown, silty clay. Both urn burials were removed for conservation.

A possible cremation pit was also recorded within Ring-ditch 1. The pit, roughly oval, measured 0.43m north-east/south-west by 0.35m and was cut into subsoil to a depth of 0.11m. It contained a single fill, a loose, grey/black, silty clay with abundant charcoal flecking and burnt bone.

Ring-ditch 2 was c. 8m north-east of Ring-ditch 1. Roughly circular, it had an internal diameter of 2.5m and an external diameter of 3.25m. The ditch was roughly U-shaped in section, with an average width of 0.3m, and was cut into subsoil to a depth of 0.3m. A narrow entrance was recorded to the north, with the terminals of the ditch defined by two possible post-holes. A series of post-holes was also noted encircling the exterior of the ring-ditch.

An arc of small pits lay c. 24m east of Ring-ditch 2. The arc travelled through 180º, with the opening facing west, and consisted of five subsoil-cut pits, from which a number of flakes of struck flint and a fragment of Grooved Ware were recovered.

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