County: Wexford Site name: BALLYGERRY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E1214
Author: Mary Henry, Mary Henry Archaeological Services Ltd, 17 Staunton Row, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.
Site type: Testing
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 712270m, N 612084m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.249017, -6.355780
Topsoil-stripping for a proposed wastewater treatment plant and access road was monitored in advance of building works for the plant. There were no known monuments on the site of the proposed plant. Cartographic and documentary sources revealed very little regarding the past influence of human settlement and activity upon the landscape. The only monument within relatively close proximity of the site is Ballygerry Castle (built in the mid-17th century), which is located 250m to the south-east.
Archaeological features were identified at the interface of the disturbed ploughsoil and the natural. This is not surprising considering the extensive evidence for cultivation. This was also compounded by the presence of a railway line, which extends along the northern boundary of the site and would have resulted in massive land movement during construction. Features uncovered included a very extensive array of criss-crossing furrows, two destroyed field boundaries and the remains of potato clamps.
A number of archaeological features were uncovered in an isolated part of the site and the area nearest to the railway line. The features included pits, charcoal spreads and linear features. Several sherds of pottery were also discovered at the interface between the ploughsoil and natural deposits. The area was preserved in situ until it was excavated under a different licence (No. 1789 below, 04E1402).
