2004:1864 - FARRANKELLY (GSAR Sites 14/14A–F), Wicklow

Sites 14/14a–f were situated in Field 1 of the GSAR, Chainage 2080–2240. In the course of topsoil-stripping, these seven separate areas were cordoned off for excavation under one licence. The archaeology consisted of a series of twelve pits, which were dispersed over a large area measuring 160m in length (east-west) and 40m in width. No artefacts were associated with any of these features.

Site 14 was located adjacent to the southern fence line, Chainage 2135–2160. It contained two pits, C31 and C41, a spread of charcoal-rich soil, C34, and a large dump of rounded stones, C36, associated with C40, a large cut in the subsoil. Pit C31 was oval in plan and measured 1.55m in length (east-west), 0.8m wide and 0.2m deep. The fill contained flecks of charcoal and some burnt stone. The stratigraphy was heavily disturbed from animal activity, mainly rabbit burrows. Layer C34, 6m north-west of pit C31, was a spread of dark-grey/brown silty clay containing flecks of charcoal. The spread measured 1.2m long (east-west) and 0.7m wide by 0.5m deep.

Pit C41 was located adjacent to spread C34 and measured 4.4m long (north-south), 4.2m wide by 0.6m deep. The lower fills were a sterile grey/yellow silty clay and a sterile light-grey silty clay. The two upper fills consisted of dark-grey/black charcoal-enriched clay containing 40–60% heat-shattered stones.

Pit C41 was abutted from the south by another cut in the subsoil, C40, measuring 4.8m long (north-south) and 4.25m wide by 0.4m deep. This depression was filled mainly with rounded cobble-like stones. When C41 and C40 were sectioned, it was evident that C41, with associated burnt-stone fill, was of archaeological origin, but C40 seemed to be a modern crater into which stones had been dumped in relatively recent times to level the field.

Site 14a was situated near the western end of the field adjacent to the northern fence, Chainage 2090–2100. It consisted of one small circular pit measuring 0.6m in diameter and 0.14m in depth. This pit contained two fills, a yellow/grey silty sand and a dark-brown/black gritty clay with c. 50% charcoal. There was no indication of in situ burning. Site 14b was situated south-west of Site 14a, Chainage 2080–2090. It consisted of a circular pit measuring 0.45m in diameter and 0.2m deep. The pit contained two fills. A dark-yellow silty clay overlay a dark-brown silty clay containing c. 30% charcoal. Site 14c was situated c. 10m east of Site 14b, Chainage 2090–2100, and again consisted of a circular pit measuring 0.7m in diameter and 0.1m in depth. The pit contained two fills, a dark-brown/black silty clay and a yellow/brown silty clay with occasional flecks of charcoal.

Site 14d was the largest site of the group, lying adjacent to the northern fence line, Chainage 2185–2225. It contained five pits, two of which were oval in plan, C8 and C9, and three circular, C11, C13 and C16. C8 measured 1.24m long (north-south) and 0.72m wide by 0.28m deep. It had two fills. Fill C9 was composed of compact dark-brown/black silty clay with c. 30% charcoal and 3% burnt/heatshattered stone. The lower fill consisted of compact orange oxidised clay.

A small, shallow circular pit, C11, was located 2.1m south of pit C8. The pit measured 0.45m in diameter and 0.1m deep. It contained a single fill composed of compact dark-brown/black silty clay with occasional flecks of charcoal.

Pit C19 was the most northerly of the features on Site 14d. It was oval in plan and measured 1.25m long (north-south), 0.75m wide and a maximum of 0.2m deep. It contained two fills. Fill C20 was composed of mid-yellow/brown, friable silty clay with inclusions of charcoal flecks and 5% unburnt stone. Fill C21, stratified over C20, was a thin layer of black carbon-rich silty clay that formed a small lens at the southern end of the pit.

A small circular pit, C16, was situated 17.75m south-east of pit C19. It measured 0.7m in diameter and 0.32m deep and contained two fills. The upper fill was loose dark-brown/black gritty clay with heat-shattered stones and c. 15% charcoal. The lower fill was composed of loose light-brown/orange silty sand with some large pieces of charcoal and c. 20% heat-shattered stones.

Another small circular pit, C13, lay 13.5m east of pit C16. This pit measured 0.4m in diameter and 0.15m deep, with sloping edges and a U-shaped base. It contained two fills. The upper fill consisted of loose dark-brown/black gritty clay with frequent inclusions of charcoal flecks and heat-shattered stones. The lower fill was composed of orange/brown silty clay with frequent inclusions of charcoal flecks and heat-shattered stones.

Site 14e was situated near the eastern limit of the GSAR, Chainage 2205–2215. It consisted of two large oval pits. The larger of the two, C1, to the south, measured 1.75m long (east-west), 0.8m wide and 0.27m deep. The upper fill comprised orange/brown oxidised clay with occasional large pieces of charcoal and heat-shattered stones. The lower fill was a layer of black silty clay containing c. 90% charcoal. The second pit, C5, measured 1.09m long (north-south), 0.79m wide and 0.12m deep. The upper fill was composed of loose mid-brown silty clay with very occasional flecks of charcoal. The lower fill consisted of black silty clay containing 90% charcoal.

Site 14f was a large spread of mottled soil at the eastern terminal of the GSAR, Chainage 2220-2240. On investigation, the site was found to be of no archaeological significance, containing hill wash on the surface of the subsoil.

The twelve pits excavated on Sites 14/14a–f appear ephemeral and unconnected. Six contained quantities of burnt stone, which suggests that a fulacht fiadh is likely to have existed in the field. There was no evidence for a trough, but four of the pits at the eastern end of the field, C8, C13, C16 (Sites 14d) and C1 (Site 14e), contained oxidised clay as well as burnt stone, suggesting that hearths where stones were heated must have been located in this general vicinity. The excavated pits were not utilised for in situ burning but appear to represent negative features where material derived from adjacent hearths was dumped.