County: Wexford Site name: RAHEENAGURREN WEST (Site 27)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A003/019
Author: Thaddeus C. Breen for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd.
Site type: Structure
Period/Dating: Bronze Age (2200 BC-801 BC)
ITM: E 716403m, N 658121m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.661767, -6.279223
The site consisted of the top and the western slope of a ridge and sloped down to a stream. It was immediately south of a ringfort, SMR 12:2, and was cut by a large marl pit. Site 27 was amalgamated from Sites 27–29 and covered an area measuring c. 90m by 70m. On top of the ridge were two concentrations of post-holes, stake-holes and pits.
The southernmost consisted mostly of small, shallow pits with some stake-holes, including a curved line. There were also some patches of stone metalling, in one of which a barbed and tanged flint arrowhead was found.
The second concentration included some post-holes that were certainly structural, but varied in size and fill, representing different phases. A shallow rectangular hearth, near the edge of the concentration of post-holes, contained a number of sherds of Beaker pottery and a single sherd of Early Neolithic ware. Four deeper pits occurred at the opposite end of the concentration. These were approximately oval in plan, measuring 1.5m by 0.75m and 0.0m deep, and contained heat-shattered stones and charcoal-rich soil. A single blue glass bead was found in one.
The most widespread features on the site were furrows. There were two types: the broad, shallow spade-cultivation furrows commonly found in most areas of Ireland, and narrow plough furrows which may have been prehistoric ard marks. Unlike the former, they respect the second post-hole concentration. There were two sets of spade furrows, running in different directions, separated by a ditch that stops short of the marl pit at the top of the ridge. This suggests that the furrows, ditch and marl pit are contemporary. They are probably post-medieval.
Another late feature was a modern drain running eastwards from the end of the marl pit. Two small spreads of heat-shattered stones were found near this drain, which probably followed the course of a natural stream draining a pond which preceded the marl pit.
In the south-western corner of the site, at the base of the slope, a palaeo-channel was found, approximately parallel to the present stream. The continuation of this was found on Site 26 (see No. 1669, Excavations 2005).
13 Wainsfort Crescent, Dublin 6W
