County: Wexford Site name: Moyne Middle 4
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E004209
Author: Yvonne Whitty, for TVAS (Ireland) Ltd, Ahish, Ballinruan, Crusheen, Co. Clare.
Site type: Displaced burnt-stone mound, trough and pits
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 696454m, N 642956m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.529414, -6.578432
Moyne Middle 4 was located on the proposed M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme. The site was recorded in a grassy pasture field with a level plateau in the eastern half and a steep slope down to the Hollyfort tributary at the western boundary. There was an area of rushes at the base of the slope alongside the Hollyfort tributary, suggesting that this area is prone to flooding. Excavations at Moyne Middle 4 revealed a trough, three pits and the remains of burnt-stone deposits.
Deposits of loose grey charcoal-rich sandy silt containing heat-shattered stone were identified in pits and natural undulations. A circular pit, 1m in diameter, was uncovered beneath a burnt-stone spread. The circular pit, which had a maximum depth of 0.33m, with steep sides and a flat base, contained a single loose charcoal-rich mid-brown silty clay with a high quantity of heat-shattered stone.
A north–south-aligned subrectangular trough with a circular protrusion at its southern end was identified roughly in the centre of the site beneath the burnt-stone spread. The trough measured 3.25m by 1.7m and was 0.75m deep with vertical sides and a flat base. A step was noted in the centre of this feature and the base of the trough sloped from south to north, a possible deliberate arrangement to aid filling of the trough with water. The trough contained light-grey silty clay with a high quantity of charcoal and heat-affected stone.
An oval-shaped pit, located at the west side of the trough, measured 1.6m by 1.4m, had vertical sides tapering to a flat base and was 0.2m deep. This pit was filled with burnt-stone material. It is therefore likely that this feature was associated with the trough.
