2018:024 - Mountelliot, New Ross, Wexford

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Wexford Site name: Mountelliot, New Ross

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 18E0017

Author: Ger Dowling

Site type: Neolithic pit

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 672288m, N 629633m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.413425, -6.937415

Test trenching was undertaken at the site of a proposed new roundabout at the N30–R700 junction in Mountelliott townland, New Ross, Co. Wexford, in January 2018. The investigations were conducted by Archaeological Management Solutions on behalf of Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Wexford County Council. Five test trenches, measuring approximately 234 linear metres in total, were excavated in the area of the proposed roundabout.

Two small pits were identified at the southern end of Trench 5. One of the pits contained pieces of rough, unworked, quartz, as well as occasional flecks of hazel and oak charcoal. Hazel was the dominant species and a sample from the fill of the pit yielded a date of 3660–3520 BC (2σ) (Ua-58145). The second pit excavated at Mountelliott is undated, though given its proximity to the Neolithic pit, it also may be of prehistoric origin. Analysis of charcoal from its fill indicates the presence of oak and pomaceous fruitwood, with oak being the dominate species.

The remaining features recorded at the site relate to post-medieval/modern agriculture and comprise plough furrows and a linear ditch or relict field boundary. A single sherd (handle fragment) of post-medieval North Devon gravel tempered ware was found in tilled soil outside the scheme extents.

AMS Consultancy, Unit 1, Hector Street Mills, Kilrush, Co. Clare.