2007:229 - Carrignafoy, Cork

A spread of burnt stone, c. 18m by 20m, was noted during site clearance at a greenfield development site in the townland of Carrignafoy, on the north-east outskirts of Cobh, Co. Cork. As development was already under way, full excavation of the site was recommended by the local authority. The site was located at c. 60m OD on the east slope of a 91m-high hill which dominates the town of Cobh. Cork Harbour is located over the top of the hill, to the south of the site.
Excavation took place in April–May 2007. The uppermost level of the spread of burnt and heat-shattered stone was removed to reveal a trough connected by a shallow channel to two further troughs, all of which had been cut into the natural boulder clay. The upper (northern) trough (F35) was rectangular and orientated with its long axis north-north-west/south-south-east. It measured 5.18m by 1.5m with a maximum depth of 0.9m. The lowermost 0.3m of the sides of the trough were lined with a rough layer of sandstones, and two horizontal oak timbers were recorded at the base of the trough. A circular structure (F20) enclosed the trough. It was 5m in diameter and consisted of a series of seven post-holes, slot-trenches and stake-holes.
Directly north-north-west of the trough was a stone-paved hearth with a stone surround. The hearth measured 2m2.
A 5.8m-long channel, U-shaped in profile, led downslope from the northern (F35) to the eastern troughs (F17, F9). The smaller trough (F17) (1.4m east–west by 2m by 0.5m deep), to the west, was cut by a larger oval trough (F9). It appears that the smaller trough (F17) may originally have had the same dimensions as the rectangular trough (F35) to the north-west. The oval trough (F9) measured 5.18m by 4.2m (maximum) by 0.65m deep (maximum). The south side of the trough sloped gradually, while on the north the sides were steeper. This may represent a later use of the site when F17 was enlarged, either intentionally or through continued use or by flooding/erosion, to form a larger oval trough (F9).
Four metres to the east of the rectangular trough (F35) and 1m to the north of the oval trough (F9) was an area measuring c. 4.5m south-west/north-east by 3m containing 23 post- and/or stake-holes in an apparently irregular arrangement. The post-holes contained fills of clay, stone and occasional charcoal. No apparent form or plan was evident in the layout/location of the post-holes, but they may represent a structure that was ploughed out, truncated by later agricultural activity. There was no evidence to link these cut features with the troughs and associated features to the south and west.
A hone stone of iron-rich sandstone was the only artefact recovered during the excavation.
Environmental analysis by Mary Dillon of Eachtra has identified larger quantities than normal of prunus and spindle in the charcoal assemblage, while ash is unusual in being absent.
It is hoped to procure dendrochronological dates from the two oak timbers from the rectangular pit.