County: Wexford Site name: PARKBAUN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A003/029
Author: Kevin Martin, Valerie J. Keeley Ltd.
Site type: Burnt spread
Period/Dating: Post Medieval (AD 1600-AD 1750)
ITM: E 718818m, N 665620m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.728607, -6.240826
The initial identification of archaeological features on the site was confirmed by testing under licence A003/005 as part of the N11 Gorey–Arklow scheme. Excavation commenced in May for a period of two weeks. The site was located to the east of the N11 between Gorey and Inch, c. 5.9km to the north-east of Gorey town, in a low-lying area near the north-west bank of a meandering stream.
An irregular-shaped deposit of burnt material was located at the southern edge of the site. It consisted of grey black silty clay with frequent inclusions of charcoal and heat-cracked stones. The deposit measured 3.4m by 3.6m and 0.05m in depth. It overlay a lower charcoal-rich deposit. Under this was a layer of silty clay that had been scorched red. It was located under the eastern corner of the burnt spread and measured 1.05m by 0.95m and varied between 0.03–0.09m in depth. This layer of in situ burning overlay the natural.
The main section running through the burnt spread was enlarged a number of times during the course of the excavation. Two box-sections were excavated along the river side of the deposit. This section enlargement resulted in the identification of ten river deposits. During the extension of the main section two archaeological deposits, C.13 and C.19, were identified under the river deposits. C.13 was an irregular-shaped deposit of light-grey clay, with occasional charcoal and heat-cracked stones located at the southern extent of the burnt spread. It measured 0.65m long, 2m wide and was 0.4m deep. Fill C.19 was black/grey clayey silt with inclusions of charcoal and fire-cracked stones. It measured 0.93m by 1.8m and was 0.31m deep. It appeared that burnt material was washed out of position and moved closer to the edge of the stream bank, with subsequent river wash layers deposited over it. This was evidence that the channel was continually depositing silts after human activity on the site ceased.
Three east–west-running field drains were recorded running across the middle of Site 47. They each ran the entire width of the site for c. 30m. Each had a fill of compact grey silty clay with sub-rounded small stones. All three had a U-shaped cut profile and depths of c. 0.25m.
A linear ditch was located north of the burnt spread and ran north-west/south-east across the site for a distance of 30m. It had a U-shaped cut profile with concave sides and a flat base. Five clay fills were identified from two box-sections excavated along its length. Its width was 1.1m and its depth was 0.55m. This may represent a post-medieval field boundary or drainage ditch.
Finds consisted of post-medieval pottery, all from a non-stratified context. The dating of the burnt deposit awaits the return of results from the radiocarbon analysis of charcoal samples taken.
Brehon House, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny
