County: Fermanagh Site name: Arney Fort, Clontymullan, Marble Arch Road
Sites and Monuments Record No.: FER229:023 Licence number: AE/19/127
Author: Jonathan Barkley
Site type: Medieval Gaelic moated site
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 622112m, N 836423m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.276129, -7.660490
A community archaeological excavation was undertaken at Arney Fort, Marble Arch Road, County Fermanagh, between 16 and 30 September 2019.
Five trenches were hand-excavated within the interior of Arney Fort and two on an annex adjacent to the monument. A metal detector survey was also carried out on the adjacent drumlin. The excavation was carried out by local volunteers under constant supervision and instruction from the archaeologists.
The excavation uncovered evidence for structures within the interior of the fort, along with material relating to iron working and glass production. Artefactual material recovered included a Neolithic end scraper, iron nails and coarse pottery, identified as Medieval Ulster Coarse Pottery.
Based on the results of the excavation the fort has been tentatively identified as a medieval Gaelic moated site and dated to the 14th – 15th century.
Finds uncovered during the metal detector survey of the drumlin included material dating to the post-medieval period, notably a George III, 1805, Irish penny and the cock and jaws of a flintlock firearm with gunflint still attached.
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