County: Wexford Site name: Monroe 1
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E004271
Author: Colum Hardy, for TVAS (Ireland) Ltd, Ahish, Ballinruan, Crusheen, Co. Clare.
Site type: Burnt spread
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 699604m, N 635628m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.463008, -6.534210
Monroe 1 was located on the proposed M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme. The site was situated in an undulating field which contains a shallow valley orientated north–south beyond the western limits of the road scheme. This valley was marked as containing a stream on early mapping. Five burnt-spread sites (Monroe 1–5) were identified along the eastern bank of the stream.
Excavations at Monroe 1 revealed a burnt spread which measured 9m by 2.5m and was 0.4m thick. The spread consisted of loose, black, charcoal-rich silt clay which contained a high quantity of heat-affected stone. A rectangular trough with a north-west to south-east orientation was identified below the burnt spread. The trough, which measured 1.04m by 1m and was 0.4m deep, had vertical sides and a flat base. The basal fill of this trough consisted of soft organic black/brown sandy silt which contained a high concentration of small irregular stones and charcoal. The second layer was soft brown/yellow clay silt which contained sub-angular stones. A layer of sterile soft grey/brown sandy silt was identified along the western side of the trough. The upper fill was soft light-grey silt clay which contained charcoal flecks.
A post-medieval drain was identified at the western corner of the site.
