County: Wexford Site name: Ballycarrigeen Lower 5
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E004227
Author: Margaret McNamara, for TVAS (Ireland) Ltd, Ahish, Ballinruan, Crusheen, Co. Clare.
Site type: Pits, drain
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 705571m, N 647828m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.571507, -6.442565
Ballycarrigeen Lower 5 was located on the proposed M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme.
Six pits were recorded. Pit 3 measured 3.4m by 1.2–1.6m and was 0.4m deep. The primary fill consisted of firm light white/yellow sandy clay with occasional to moderate amounts of stone. The secondary fill was soft yellow to light-brown to orange sandy clay with occasional to moderate amounts of stone. A sherd of pottery was recovered from this fill. The final fill consisted of soft medium brown silty clay with occasional amounts of stone and charcoal. This feature was interpreted as a possible clay-extraction or daub-production pit.
Pit 4 was 2.5m long, 1.75m wide and 0.13m deep. The primary fill consisted of compact white/orange silty clay with frequent amounts of small pebbles. The secondary fill was loose dark-grey/brown sandy clay with frequent small pebbles and occasional large stones. A pottery sherd and possible stone object were recovered from this fill. The function of this pit is unknown, although a storage function is possible.
Pit 5 measured 3m by 1.6m and was 0.3–0.55m deep. The primary fill consisted of soft to firm mottled light-brown to orange to light-grey silty clay, with occasional charcoal inclusions and small angular and rounded stones. The secondary fill was soft–firm light-grey silty clay with frequent small and occasional larger angular and rounded stones, and occasional charcoal inclusions. The tertiary fill consisted of soft yellow/brown silty clay with occasional charcoal inclusions and occasional small angular and rounded stones. The final fill was soft dark-red/brown silty clay with occasional inclusions of charcoal and occasional small angular and rounded stones. This feature was interpreted as a possible clay-extraction or daub-production pit.
Pit 6 was 0.7m long, 0.6m wide and 0.3m deep. This feature was filled with loose compacted orange/brown silty clay with inclusions of small stones or pebbles. The function of this pit is unknown.
Pit 10 measured 1.3m by 1.1m and was 0.23m deep. It was filled with soft mid-brown silty clay with occasional charcoal inclusions and large stones. The function of this pit is unknown.
Pit 15 measured 1.6m by 0.54–1.02m and was 0.3m deep. The primary fill consisted of moderately compact light-brown/orange/yellow silty clay with occasional to moderate stones. The secondary fill consisted of moderately compact medium brown silty clay with occasional charcoal inclusions. A pottery sherd was recovered from this fill. The function of this pit is unknown.
A modern drain cut through the northern half of the site. A number of non-archaeologically significant features including a modern machine cut, tree holes, burrows, natural depressions and a spread of topsoil-like material, were also recorded. Topsoil finds included pottery, possible lithic items and a possible stone object.
