County: Carlow Site name: BALLYBANNON
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A021/056
Author: Joanne Hughes, Headland Archaeology Ltd, Unit 4b, Europa Enterprise Park, Midleton, Co. Cork.
Site type: Enclosure
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 671882m, N 670841m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.783797, -6.934432
A geophysical survey (conducted in 2002) in this area of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford road scheme indicated the presence of a circular enclosure and linear anomalies in this field; SMR 12:11 (moated site) is located in the same field. The circular enclosure lies for the main part outside the proposed CPO line, and only the easternmost portion of the ditch would be affected by the proposed road.
Testing on this site revealed a complex depositional sequence associated with this enclosure, at least some of which appears to be related to sand and gravel quarrying in the adjoining field (SMR 12:12; see No. 58 below). A possible cobbled surface was identified around the perimeter of the enclosure. An iron axehead of uncertain date was recovered from the topsoil in the vicinity of the enclosure ditch. Full investigation of the enclosure ditch was suspended until archaeological resolution has taken place, as it was decided to maintain the complex stratigraphic relationship of the identified deposits and features within the limited extent of the CPO until that stage.
