County: Cavan Site name: KILCORBY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 05E0883
Author: Ciara MacManus, FarrimondMacManus Ltd, 150 Elmvale, Culmore Road, Derry, BT48 8SL.
Site type: Mesolithic
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 632131m, N 820057m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.128546, -7.508405
A programme of test-trenching, monitoring of topsoil-stripping and subsequent excavation was carried out in advance of an eight-house holiday home development in the townland of Kilcorby, Co. Cavan. The site, which is situated along the southern banks of the Woodford River/canal c. 5km to the north-west of Belturbet, was initially identified during pre-development testing. Subsequent monitoring of topsoil-stripping confirmed the existence of three areas of habitation activity. The main focus of this activity was within the south-east portion of the site in the form of pits, post-holes and a ditch/gully, extending over an area 15m by 10m within the footprint of one of the proposed dwellings. Excavation of the deposits revealed the existence of a number of large subsoil-cut pits of probable Mesolithic date.
Area 1 was 5m from the southern boundary of the development along a river terrace ridge overlooking the remainder of the site and consisted of a single pit uncovered during testing. The pit was located within the footprint of a building and thus excavation was necessitated.
Area 2, uncovered during testing, was c. 100m to the east of Area 1 near the base of a river terrace and survived as a large spread. As the deposit was located within an area of access road, excavation was necessitated. Excavation uncovered the remains of two large pits of uncertain function and date.
The third area was 20m to the north-east of Area 2 along the flat ridge of a lower river terrace, spread over an area c. 15m by 15m, within the footprint of a proposed dwelling. Archaeological activity in this area comprised of a large central subsoil-cut pit surrounded by four elongated pits placed in a circular setting around it, with three small post-holes to the west. The remains of a narrow ditch or gully and a second larger ditch-like feature were uncovered extending from the north-east limit of excavation, while a number of small stake-holes were excavated within the east corner of the site.
Finds recovered from the site include a large butt-trimmed flake and a probable hand axe, suggesting a Mesolithic date for the activity in this area.
