County: Clare Site name: CLAREABBEY (Site AR121)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E0031
Author: Kate Taylor, TVAS Ireland Ltd.
Site type: Burnt spread
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 534827m, N 675442m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.826002, -8.967038
Two deposits of burnt stone were excavated at this site on the N18 Ennis bypass. The smaller of the two was a shallow oval and lenticular burnt spread that measured 4m (east-west) by 2.1m and was up to 0.1m thick. The feature was covered by 0.2m of peat and overlay 0.2m of further, undifferentiated, peat. The deposit was predominantly of burnt sandstone and was rich in charcoal. It is very likely that this small deposit of heat-altered stone is associated with the larger deposit to the north.
The larger burnt-stone spread was found approximately 25m to the north-west of the smaller deposit. The amorphous feature had maximum dimensions of 15m in any direction and was up to 0.3m thick. The burnt spread was overlain by 0.1–0.2m of topsoil and was sealed by 0.2–0.3m of peat. The archaeological deposits were directly overlying the geological natural. The spread was composed of mostly heat-cracked limestone pieces with occasional sandstone present. Charcoal flecking and staining was very evident.
No cut features were found beneath the burnt stone.
Ahish, Ballinruan, Crusheen, Co. Clare
