County: Wexford Site name: CLONGEEN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: WX040-071---- Licence number: 01E0977 ext.
Author: Maurice F. Hurley
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 683669m, N 616819m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.296659, -6.773349
It was proposed to build six houses on a greenfield site at Clongeen, Co. Wexford. The field contains a standing stone. The site was subject to testing in 2001 (Excavations 2001, No. 1299). No finds or features of archaeological importance were identified in the testing. Wexford County Council granted planning permission in November 2001 and a condition requiring monitoring was applied. Monitoring was undertaken in late June/early July 2003.
The site was cleared of topsoil, except for an area of 7.5m surrounding the standing stone. Much of the topsoil was swampy, due to poor drainage resulting from the compacted yellow clay beneath and the recent failure of the land drains. Following the initial topsoil removal, the general ground level was reduced on the south-west side of the site, where some of the old drains were reopened.
The foundations of six houses were excavated as a series of 1m-wide strips. The depth of the foundation trenches varied from 0.75m on the west side to as little as 0.3m on the east side. The ground was generally yellow clay over shale bedrock. The bedrock was closer to the surface on the west side of the site.
There were no significant anomalies in the general make-up of the ground other than the occurrence of several stone-filled land drains. In the north-west corner of the site, an area of charcoal and white ash was apparent close to the fence. The burnt area covered an area of c. 10m2 and in places represented an area of intense burning. It occurred just below the sod level and is likely to represent a relatively modern fire - probably associated with land clearance.
312 Bruach na Laoi, Union Quay, Cork
