2003:0197 - CASTLEMARTYR: Gortnahomna Beg/Lismalaghlin, Cork

Planning permission was granted for a large housing development to the east of the village of Castlemartyr, Co. Cork. A condition of planning required monitoring of all subsurface excavation and topsoil removal. The topsoil-stripping of Phase I was carried out in April 2003 and seven features were identified. Excavation of these features was carried out in April/May 2003.

The seven features, six circular and one linear, lay near each other, within an area c. 17m north–south by 9m. F1 was a circular pit (1.11m by 1.22m) with a maximum depth of 0.29m. The fill consisted of blackened, charcoal-rich soil with a high percentage of heat-cracked stones. It had been recut on the south side to a maximum depth of 0.37m with a fill of stony brown clay. F2 was an oval pit (0.93m by 0.57m) with a maximum depth of 0.11m and a fill of blackened soil containing heat-cracked stones. The surrounding clay was stony and may have represented soil redeposited from the excavation of Feature 3 a short distance to the north-east. F3 was also an oval-shaped pit (1.35m by 0.67m) with a maximum depth of 0.35m. The fill consisted of blackened soil with charcoal, containing heat-cracked stones. F5 was circular in shape (0.75m by 0.7m, maximum depth of 0.13m) with a fill of blackened soil with charcoal and heat-cracked stones. F6 was circular in shape (1.05m diameter, maximum depth 0.27m) with a fill of blackened soil with charcoal and heat-cracked stones. F7 was a linear trench, 4.36m long and 0.42m at the widest point. The fill consisted of a grey-black silty soil containing some heat-cracked stones. The trench varied in depth from 0.05m at the west end to a maximum depth of 0.2m towards the east end. F8 was a circular depression 0.7m in diameter with a maximum depth of 0.12m. The fill consisted of blackened soil with charcoal and heat-cracked stones.

The nature and content of the majority of these features suggests that they may have been roasting pits and therefore part of a cooking site. The absence of heat-cracked stones in the area surrounding the features suggests that the pits had a short-term use and were not being emptied and reused. Deep ploughing in the area is likely to have truncated the upper levels of the features exposed and any other associated features.

AE House, Monahan Road, Cork