2010:826 - TOOM (1), Wexford

Toom 1 was located on the proposed M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme. The site was situated in wet pasture.
The sequence of activity began with the construction of two troughs, located at the north-east and south-west edges of the burnt-stone spread, both heavily truncated.

The north-eastern trough measured 1.35m by 1m, was 0.4m deep and had a probable angular shape in plan with sharp breaks of slope, vertical sides and a flattish base. Badly decomposed wood was retrieved from the base of this feature. A single fill of hard grey silty clay with frequent burnt stones and occasional charcoal was recorded. The north-east trough appeared to be truncated on its north-west side by an irregular L-shaped pit. The pit was aligned north-east to south-west and was 2.75m long, 1.79m wide and 0.25m deep. This feature had a varied profile and contained two fills: mid-black/grey silty clay with medium-sized angular heat-shattered stones, and hard yellow/brown silty clay with occasional pebbles. This pit may represent a later trough or a more natural feature such as a boulder socket or tree hole.

The south-west trough was probably subrectangular or sub-oval in shape with a varied profile. This trough was aligned north-east to south-west and was 1.87m long, 1.36m wide and 0.65m deep. Two fills were a loose, light-grey clayey soil with frequent small to medium stones, and a friable, black/dark-grey grainy silty clay with occasional large stones, small to medium heat-shattered stones and charcoal flecks. It is not clear if the two troughs were contemporary. A possible post-hole (circular and U-shaped, diameter 0.18–0.2m, depth 0.12m) was located north of the south-west trough and may be associated.

Both troughs, the pit and post-hole were subsequently overlain with a spread consisting of a single burnt-stone deposit, irregular in shape with its long axis aligned north-east to south-west, 7.5m long, 3.6m wide and up to 0.31m deep. This deposit was partially overlain with a silty deposit, interpreted as a palaeochannel fill, skirting the eastern edge of the spread, and possibly extending into the neighbouring site of Toom 2 (see No. 827, Excavations 2010). A second section of possible palaeochannel was located at a further distance from the spread. The ground immediately east of these features was subject to consistent flooding throughout the excavation, as it presumably was in prehistory, an ideal position for self-filling troughs and burnt-stone-generating activity.

Toom 2, located approximately 10m north of Toom 1, consisted of a possible hearth, and is probably associated.