County: Wicklow Site name: BALLYCRONE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 05E0406
Author: Gill Mc Loughlin, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd.
Site type: Fulacht fia and Habitation site
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 730222m, N 707232m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.099760, -6.055412
Monitoring of topsoil-stripping was carried out in June and October 2005 on the site of a proposed light industrial development immediately south of Kilcoole. Four areas of archaeological potential were identified and subsequently excavated.
In Area 1 a portion of a burnt spread/fulacht fiadh was uncovered during monitoring of topsoil-stripping in June 2005. Three deposits of charcoal-rich soil and heat-shattered stones measuring 4m by 5m, 5m by 2.5m and 4m by 2m were in the line of a roadway and were subsequently excavated. The remainder of this feature remains in situ outside of the current development area and could be up to 30m in diameter.
Areas 2–4 were noted during topsoil-stripping in October 2005. Area 2 included a kiln-type feature, six large circular/oval pits and a series of post- and stake-holes. Most of the activity was in an area measuring c. 9m by 6.5m. An area measuring 4m by 4m to the south-east contained a concentration of stake-holes and an area to the west measuring 5m by 5m contained two circular pits. Stratified finds include a small circular millstone/whetstone (175mm diameter by 80mm), iron slag and various iron objects, including three iron pins. Animal bone was also recovered from most of the pits.
Area 3 consisted of a series of pits and post-holes with charcoal-rich fills. The excavation covered an area measuring c. 20m by 10m. One of the pits (C121) was a figure-of-eight shape and appeared to be a type of kiln feature, although there was limited evidence for burning. Six smaller pits were located close by and all but one appeared to be associated with C121. Some post-holes and stake-holes were also located to the west of C121. Stratified finds include a piece of copper alloy and a hone stone.
Area 4 consisted of a charcoal-rich spread measuring c. 6.5m east–west by 0.18m deep, containing some burnt stones. This deposit appears to be the edge of a burnt spread/fulacht fiadh, the remainder of which is in situ under a baulk in an area that will be landscaped. The burnt spread is cut by a shallow linear ditch oriented north-west/south-east. This ditch is one of a series of linear features of the same orientation noted in Areas 3 and 4 that post-date the pits and charcoal-rich deposits and appear to be related to drainage.
It seems likely that the features excavated at Areas 1 and 4 are associated with burnt spreads/fulacht fiadh, which generally date to the second millennium BC. The finds in Areas 2 and 3 would imply a date in the early medieval period or later, and could be associated with the site of a possible Anglo-Norman motte site that is thought to be located to the north of the development. This site is not recorded on any of the OS maps or in the RMP (Corlett 2002).
Reference
Corlett, C. 2002 Recent stray finds and previously unpublished sites from Co. Wicklow. In C. Corlett and A. O’Sullivan (eds), Wicklow archaeology and history, 110. County Wicklow Archaeological Society.
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