County: Wexford Site name: Myaugh 2
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E004163
Author: Margaret McNamara, for TVAS (Ireland) Ltd, Ahish, Ballinruan, Crusheen, Co. Clare.
Site type: Pits, post- and stake-holes
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 703004m, N 645762m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.553431, -6.481068
Myaugh 2 was located on the proposed M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme. The site was recorded in a relatively level grass field sloping down to a tributary of the Tinnacross Stream on the southern edge of the field. The subsoil in the northern part of the field is compact yellow clayey gravel with shale outcropping in the south of the field.
A large number of features were scattered across an area measuring 135m by 40m. Approximately 57 post-holes, 74 pits, two hearths, 29 stake-holes, two possible cremation burials and a post-medieval field ditch and drains were all recorded.
The cremation burial-pits measured 0.35m by 0.35m by 0.04m and 0.48m by 0.42m by 0.06m with gradual sloping sides and flat bases. The fills contained charcoal and burnt bone. Two hearths measured 0.95m by 0.9m by 0.15m and 0.69m by 0.68m by 0.05m. They were sub-square and circular with deposits of light-red oxidised sandy silt with occasional sub-angular stones.
The pits and post-holes were scattered across the site and were of varying shapes and sizes with no definitive structure indicated. A large quantity of flint, both worked and unworked, prehistoric pottery, hammer and rubbing stones and a quernstone were all recorded on-site. Eight stone artefacts (flint, worked stone and a hammerstone) were recorded from a large semicircular pit that was 3.15m in diameter and 0.72m deep, while nine pieces of flint and a possible whetstone were recorded from a large oval pit measuring 5.8m by 3.33m and 0.87m deep. The characteristics of the features in association with the artifacts would indicate some form of prehistoric domestic activity on-site, possibly on a recurring temporary or seasonal nature from the Neolithic onwards.
A field ditch and drain were orientated north–south across the site. The ditch was 30m long, 1m wide and 0.31m deep with gradually sloping sides and a flat base. There were a large amount of natural root cavities, stone sockets, burnt root cavities and tree holes, indicating a period of field improvement and enlargement.
