2010:777 - Knockavocka 2, Wexford

Knockavocka 2 was located on the proposed M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme. The site was situated in tillage. Two troughs with associated stake-holes were recorded.
A subrectangular trough was located slightly off-centre within the site. This feature had a gradual break of slope at the top, steep sides and a sharp break of slope to a flat base. The trough was 2.64m long (west-north-west to east-south-east), 2.49m wide and 0.43m deep, with five fills. The primary fill consisted of loose, dark black silty clay with medium to large stones. The secondary fill was loose, black/grey silty clay with small stones. The tertiary fill was loose, pale grey silty clay with occasional small stones. The fourth fill consisted of loose, black silty clay and the final fill was loose, dark-brown/grey silty clay with small stones and pebbles. A natural depression was located immediately south-east of the trough which contained two deposits: loose black/grey/white silty clay and loose, dark-grey silty clay. These deposits may represent material deposited during the construction or cleaning out of the trough. Three stake-holes were recorded west of the trough, which may have supported a structure associated with burnt-stone-generating activity.
A second, subrectangular trough lay 0.7m to the north-west. This feature had rounded corners, straight sides and a flat base, and was 2.2m long (west-north-west to east-south-east), 1.5m wide and 0.36m deep. Three stake-holes were cut into the base of the trough at its north-east corner. This trough contained four fills. The primary fill consisted of black/dark-grey clay with moderate inclusions of charcoal and occasional stones. The secondary fill was loose red/brown clay with frequent large stones. The tertiary fill consisted of tightly compacted yellow clay with occasional small pebbles. The fourth fill consisted of loose, dark-brown silty clay with frequent inclusions of heat-shattered stones.
The second trough was cut by a possible pit with an elongated shape, steep north and south sides, a stepped west side, a concave east side and a mostly flat base. This pit was 1.6m long (north-east to south-west), 1m wide and 0.54m deep, and contained seven fills. The primary fill was soft, light-grey/white silty clay with occasional to moderate smaller stones. The secondary fill was soft, medium brown sandy clay with rare to occasional small stones. The tertiary fill was soft, light-yellow/white sandy clay. The fourth fill consisted of soft, medium to dark-brown sandy silty clay with occasional small stones. The fifth fill was soft, light-yellow/white sandy clay. The sixth fill consisted of firm, dark-grey/black silty clay with frequent charcoal flecks and moderate smaller burnt stones. The seventh and final fill was soft, dark-brown silty clay with rare to occasional charcoal flecks. This pit may represent a recut of the trough.
A small pit or stone socket was located in the centre of the site, north of the pit. This feature was sub-oval with a concave profile, measured 0.4m by 0.39m and was 0.12m deep with a single fill of loose, black clay with small stone and charcoal inclusions.
A burnt-stone deposit was located in a natural depression 6.6m south of the first trough. This deposit was 2.43m long (north-east to south-west), 1.48m wide and 0.17m deep and comprised loose, dark-brown silt with moderate amounts of heat-shattered stone and occasional charcoal flecks. This deposit extended beyond the limit of excavation.
A second irregular burnt-stone deposit was located north of the troughs. The deposit of moderately compacted, dark-grey/black silty clay with occasional stones was 1.86m wide, 1.2m long and 0.08m thick.