County: Wexford Site name: Ballycarrigeen Lower
Sites and Monuments Record No.: n/a Licence number: E004771
Author: David McIlreavy
Site type: Burnt mounds, prehistoric pits and enclosure
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 705219m, N 647290m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.566732, -6.447937
Testing was carried out at the site of a proposed construction compound, contiguous with the lands acquired by Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) for construction of the M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy PPP Project by Wexford County Council in the townland of Ballycarrigeen Lower, Co. Wexford. Testing followed a previous desktop assessment carried out by IAC Ltd (Bailey and Fuller 2016). The test area comprises of the proposed compound at Ballycarrigeen Lower bordered to the north by the CPO for the mainline scheme and to the west by the modern road linking Ferns with The Harrow. The site comprises 3.17ha and is located at ITM 705219 647290.
A total of 2,033 linear metres of trenches were investigated equating to c. 12.8% of the site. The site has been subjected to intensive agricultural activity in recent centuries as evidenced by significant cross-ploughing activity in addition to backfilled linear features, consistent with former field boundaries (although not represented on early mapping). Many of these features contained 19th- and 20th-century ceramic sherds. A number of archaeological areas (AA) were identified during testing.
AA 1 was a continuation of fulacht fiadh site WX015-073 in the northern portion of the proposed development area. The site had been partially excavated within the road-take for the road scheme under registration E004238. Remnants of a truncated burnt spread and trough associated with the site were identified, within a hollow which was presumably wetland prior to the 19th-century land improvements in the area.
AA 2 comprised three hearth features which were identified to the south-west of the fulacht fiadh material along the area of lowland. Three further archaeological areas were located running south-west/north-east along a low ridge in the southern portion of the proposed development area.
AA 3 comprises a cluster of four pits, one of which contained prehistoric pottery sherds, an arcing linear feature which may represent a small truncated sub-circular enclosure and two linear features which appeared to be related to the arcing ditch.
AA 4 was located further south, along the ridge, and consisted of two charcoal-production kilns and a probable bowl furnace.
The archaeological activity within the development footprint occurs in four relatively discrete locations. Subsequently, the design for the compound has been adapted to allow the preservation of these areas in situ.
IAC Ltd, Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
