County: Roscommon Site name: Carrickmore, Roscommon
Sites and Monuments Record No.: RO006-128 Moated Site Licence number: 19E0276
Author: Angela Wallace & Nick Fitch, Atlantic Archaeology
Site type: Moated site
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 582852m, N 800983m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.957867, -8.261283
During June-July 2019 a portion of Recorded Monument RO006-128 Moated Site, in Carrickmore, Co. Roscommon, was excavated in advance of works for the extension of Boyle WSS (supplied by Rockingham Water Treatment Plant) to Grangemore, Co Roscommon. This archaeological site was previously identified from aerial photography by the Archaeological Survey of Ireland and was classified as a ‘Moated Site’, which is generally recognised as a defensive medieval rural settlement site.
The Carrickmore site is roughly square in shape and measured 31m north-south by 27.5m. The enclosing ditches measured just over 2m in width (2.45m and 2.2m) and less than 1m deep (0.75m and 0.9m). Approximately 60-70% of the overall site was uncovered during topsoil stripping for the pipeline corridor. Both the north and south ditches remained uncovered but were visible in the adjoining fields.
A late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age barbed and tanged arrowhead was discovered directly on top of the west ditch during the initial clean back of the site. It was originally thought this was a stray find but subsequent results from radiocarbon dating indicate this artefact is likely to be linked with use of the site.
Nine irregularly placed post-holes were discovered internally as well as a burnt spread (1.55m x 0.90m x 0.21m deep). The lack of structural pattern for the nine post-holes and the absence of any sign of an associated hearth makes it difficult to determine the presence of a definitive structure within the enclosed area. The burnt spread produced an intriguing radiocarbon date of 4234cal BC placing it within the Early Neolithic. The date is very early and draws comparisons with some of the earliest Irish Neolithic dates, many of which are linked to Co Sligo.
The site at Carrickmore is probably best seen as a square enclosure of probable Neolithic date, due to dating evidence, the associated arrowhead and the lack of artefactual or ecofactual evidence to the contrary. This casts some ambiguity around the classification of similar unexcavated rural moated sites, generally viewed as medieval in date, on further investigation many may prove to be prehistoric in nature. The suggested functions of these square enclosures generally range from sheepfolds, moated sites, square barrows or mortuary enclosures. Without further research and investigation, it is not appropriate to place Carrickmore into any of these aforementioned categories.
Pier Road, Enniscrone, Co. Sligo
