County: Cork Site name: Ballynacarriga 1
Sites and Monuments Record No.: - Licence number: E002411
Author: John Lehane, for Eachtra Archaeological Projects, Ballycurreen Industrial Estate, Kinsale Road, Cork.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 581538m, N 602280m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.172032, -8.269902
A number of potential features were found during pre-construction testing in advance of the N8 Fermoy–Mitchelstown road scheme (Cotter et al. 2006). Features included two linear ditches running north-west/south-east. The site was classified as a potential enclosure on the basis of testing results. The excavation commenced on 2 October 2006 and continued for one week. Excavation revealed that the potential features within the enclosure were irregularly shaped tree boles or stone sockets. No evidence of the remainder of an internal or external bank were found, nor any trace of a palisade fence.
The feature identified as being a possible enclosure boundary ditch during testing had three sections inserted to assess its archaeological significance. All the excavated fills were combinations of various grades of sands and gravels and these were interpreted as deposits from a natural dried-up stream. Seventeenth-century pottery sherds were identified in the upper fill of the westernmost section and it is possible that the stream was diverted during landscaping works related to the construction and/or the extension of the main house. Ms Coban-Lucas, the landowner, mentioned a reference to landscaping ‘in the English style’ around that time (pers. comm.).
Additional works were carried out to confirm that there was no return of the possible enclosing ditch. No archaeological material was discovered.
A separate cutting was opened on the western side of the farm lane to investigate for structures that were observed on the early-edition OS maps. The structures were a possible farm cottage of early modern date with an outlying shed. The area was heavily overgrown and much disturbance of the cultural remains was evident. Several pieces of blue-glazed china pottery were noted and a single flagstone was found in situ. No structural evidence was observed in situ.
This site is of no archaeological significance.
Reference
Cotter, E., Buckley, K. and Drumm, M. 2006 N8 Fermoy Mitchelstown, Phase 1, Final Archaeological Testing Report, Licence Number 05E1150. Unpublished Eachtra Archaeological Projects report submitted to the NRA.
