County: Cork Site name: FAIRHILL
Sites and Monuments Record No.: CO074-016---- Licence number: 02E1818
Author: Miriam Carroll, John Purcell Archaeological Consultancy
Site type: Standing stone
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 565965m, N 573903m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.916219, -8.494741
The development at Fairhill, Gurranabraher, consisted of the construction of 56 residential units on a greenfield site. The site of a standing stone was within the development area and gave rise to monitoring of groundworks associated with the development. Monitoring of the removal of topsoil uncovered three localised areas (A–C) of potential archaeological remains, one of which was thought to relate to the standing stone. On completion of topsoil removal, these areas were excavated as an extension of the existing licence in advance of any further ground disturbance.
The features uncovered in Area C are most likely to be associated with the standing stone. Two cut features (F5 and F22) were uncovered, 1.3m apart. The pit, F5, was subrectangular in plan and measured 1.17m in length, 0.7m in width and 0.45m in depth. It was aligned north-north-west/south-south-east and had a broad U-shaped profile. Its location, shape and size would suggest that it represents the socket where the standing stone was originally placed. No evidence for a burial deposit was uncovered, nor were any artefacts recovered. A radiocarbon determination is awaited to provide a date for the erection of the stone.
A large cut feature (F22) was located close to F5. No finds were recovered which would suggest a date or function for it.
Miscellaneous cut features including pits and linear features were uncovered in Areas A and B in excess of 50m from the site of the standing stone. None of the excavated features produced any datable finds.
17 Balmoral Terrace, Dillon’s Cross, Cork
