2010:711 - Ballynabarny 2, Wexford

Ballynabarny 2 was located on the proposed M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme. The site was situated in grassland, surrounded by bushes and trees on the northern and eastern boundaries.
Ballynabarny 2 produced a single pit which contained approximately 76 pieces of probable Beaker pottery and fifteen other shallow pits which produced a total of 326 pieces of prehistoric pottery, the majority of which may be Beaker.
A total of 134 sherds of prehistoric pottery were uncovered from an oval-shaped pit which measured 1.2m by 1.05m, was 0.33m deep and had gradual sloping sides and a stepped base. The upper fill of this pit was medium compacted dark-brown clay silt, which contained occasional charcoal flecks and yielded 27 sherds of pottery. A further 107 sherds were found in the lower fill, which was medium compacted dark-red/brown silt sand with flecks of charcoal. Much of the pottery recovered had incised decoration and was a red/brown colour with a dark mid-brown/black fabric.
A subrectangular pit with a U-shaped profile and a flat base measured 1.3m by 1.6m and was 0.41m deep. This pit was filled by loose orange/brown silt clay which overlay soft pink/brown sandy silt which contained charcoal flecks. The basal layer was soft brown sand.
A circular pit with vertical sides and a flat base measuring 0.33m by 0.29m by 0.32m contained loose mid-brown silt sand with charcoal flecks and 103 sherds of probable Beaker pottery. Much of the pottery had decoration, with basal sherds more evident towards the base of the pit.
A total of 32 sherds of prehistoric pottery were uncovered from a subcircular pit measuring 0.9m by 0.82m and 0.12m deep with gradual sloping sides and a concave base. This pit was filled by dark-brown/black silt clay which contained frequent amounts of charcoal and burnt stone. A large stone was found within the centre of the pit (0.5m x 0.4m x 0.08m).
A small subcircular pit/post-hole measuring 0.34m in diameter and 0.2m deep had a U-shaped profile and vertical sides. Sixteen sherds of prehistoric pottery were found in the fill, which comprised loose mid-brown silt clay with occasional flecks of charcoal and small to medium stones which were possibly used as packing material.
Prehistoric pottery was also recorded from a large irregular tree bole. All the pottery (nineteen sherds) came from the upper fill, which was medium compacted dark-grey/brown sandy silt with occasional charcoal flecks. This overlay the main fill, which was light-grey/brown sandy silt which contained occasional sub-angular stones.
A series of very shallow linear plough furrows were recorded traversing the site in a north-west to south-east direction. The furrows were approximately 2m apart. Five sherds of prehistoric pottery were also recorded from one of these furrows.
Underneath two of these plough furrows were a double row of stake-holes. Approximately 152 stake-holes were recorded, possibly indicating a prehistoric fence line and a division of the site. The stake-holes were very shallow, having been truncated by the plough furrows, but were on average 0.12m in diameter and 0.07m deep. The double row was 0.46m wide.
A post-medieval field drain was recorded at the northern end of the site and this feature produced two sherds of blackware pottery. A series of modern root cavities, tree boles and stone sockets were all recorded across the site, indicating a period of field clearance and improvement.