County: Kerry Site name: MANOR WEST
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 05E0049 EXT.
Author: Francis Wilkinson, Aegis Archaeology Ltd, 16 Avondale Court, Corbally, Limerick.
Site type: Early medieval settlement
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 485308m, N 613555m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.261733, -9.680159
The site was located on a limestone reef and was described as two prehistoric cairns when entered in the Register of Historic Monuments in 1998. Prior to full excavation a series of test-trenches was dug on the site by Frank Coyne (see No. 701 above). These found that there was a significant amount of archaeology present. No trace of the two prehistoric cairns was found.
On the summit of the reef a number of features were uncovered, either pits cut into the bedrock or deposits resting on it. A gold ring was discovered here, in the subsoil.
The area to the north and east of the reef contained numerous archaeological features. A charcoal-making pit, a bowl furnace and a keyhole-shaped kiln represent one or more periods of industrial usage, most probably dating to the early medieval period. A series of post- and stake-holes delineating two possible hut sites was also present. The larger of the hut sites had a central hearth and was bordered by a series of post-holes and a large ditch. A series of drains ran over the majority of this lower level to the north and east of the reef. They predominantly ran in a south-west/north-east direction, being more concentrated at the north.
