County: Wexford Site name: Ballydawmore 1
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E004255
Author: Colum Hardy, for TVAS (Ireland) Ltd, Ahish, Ballinruan, Crusheen, Co. Clare.
Site type: Burnt spread, pits and post-holes
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 701223m, N 641522m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.515667, -6.508608
Ballydawmore 1 was located on the proposed M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme. The site was situated in grass pasture with hedgerow as its northern boundary.
A badly truncated burnt spread measuring 4.2m by 1.7m and 0.15m deep was identified at Ballydawmore 1. The spread was horseshoe-shaped and surrounded a trough. This spread consisted of loose charcoal-rich grey sandy clay which contained a high concentration of heat-affected stone. The trough was situated 1.4m east of the burnt spread.
The trough, which measured 1.49m by 1.58m and was 0.39m deep, had an irregular circular shape, gradual sloping sides and a relatively flat base. This feature was filled by loose grey charcoal-rich clayey silt which contained frequent heat-affected stone. At the northern end, beneath the burnt spread, a single post-hole and four stake-holes were identified. The post-hole measured 0.35m in diameter and 0.17m deep and was filled by loose black clay sand which contained much charcoal. Five large flat stones were also found in the fill, which possibly functioned as packing stones. The four stake-holes were located adjacent to this post-hole.
A possible east–west-aligned agricultural furrow, 7.3m long, was identified at the south-western corner of the site. This feature had concave sides with a flat base and was filled with loose mid-brown/grey silty sandy clay. A double row of stake-holes was found beneath this linear feature. The 35 stake-holes had diameters of approximately 0.13m and were 0.03–0.1m deep. It is possible that these stake-holes represented a previous fence line.
Three additional pits were recorded on-site. To the north-west of the burnt spread a sub-oval pit was identified which measured 2.08m by 1.44m and was 0.22m deep with gradual sloping sides and a flat base. The fills of this pit were soft mid-grey/brown silt sand. Located north-west of the burnt spread was a circular pit, 0.8m in diameter and 0.08m deep, with gradually sloping sides and a flat base. This pit was filled with loosely compacted mid-blue/grey silt clay which contained a high concentration of stones, probably representing stone clearance and field improvement. An oval-shaped pit with a concave base, measuring 0.3m by 0.24m was 0.11m deep, was filled with dark-grey/brown clay.
