County: Cavan Site name: Benwilt
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 13E0141 ext.
Author: Martin McGonigle
Site type: Prehistoric
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 662334m, N 814674m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.077407, -7.047483
A small number of potential archaeological features were identified during testing undertaken between 29 May and 7 June in association with the Cootehill Water Supply Scheme, Co. Cavan.
At Benwilt an area measuring 30m x 30m was stripped around the potential features found during testing. Seven features were uncovered, consisting of one field boundary, three plough furrows, one pit, one area of burnt sediment (possible hearth) and one area of root burning. Only the pit and possibly the hearth are of archaeological significance.
The pit contained 57 sherds of prehistoric pottery (probably from a single vessel and thought to be a plain coarse grooved ware vessel) and 5 pieces of struck flint. Charcoal from the fill of the pit has produced a radiocarbon date of cal BC 2619-2471, 2 sigma (UBA-24979), which dates the pit to the late Neolithic. The area of burnt sediment located close to the pit may have been an associated hearth, though no finds were identified within this feature. A soil sample from this context was processed, but produced no charcoal, ecofactual material or dating material.
John Cronin and Associates, 28 Upper Main St., Buncrana, Co. Donegal.
