2003:2083 - CHARLESLAND (Site L), Wicklow
County: Wicklow
Site name: CHARLESLAND (Site L)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: WI013-074----
Licence number: 03E1645
Author: Bernice Molloy, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: Burnt mound
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 729557m, N 711300m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.136461, -6.063705
This site was exposed during monitoring of topsoil-stripping prior to the construction of a dual carriageway between the R671 and Greystones. The road is part of a larger residential and industrial development planned for the area. Monitoring commenced in December 2002. Fourteen sites have been excavated to date. Excavation of Site L took place in October 2003.
Site L was located at the base of a gradual north-west-facing slope c. 10m to the east of a stream. Two areas of archaeological potential were exposed during topsoil-stripping, Trenches A and B.
Trench A measured 20m north-south by 18m. Two land drains and several plough furrows had severely truncated the archaeological deposits. The remains of a burnt mound with associated pits and post-holes were excavated. The mound measured 2.8m north-east/south-west by 2.5m.
Trench B was located c. 10m to the east of Trench A. It measured 28m north-south by 12m. A burnt mound measuring 3.8m north-south by 2.3m was identified in this trench. Three troughs were exposed beneath the mound. The largest trough had a large number of stake-holes directly to the east. A fragment of a saddle quern was found at the base of this trough.