County: Wexford Site name: Shelmaliere Commons
Sites and Monuments Record No.: WX042-007001 Licence number: 22E0169
Author: Colm Moriarty
Site type: Proximity to a cairn
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 697062m, N 617360m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.299311, -6.576908
The monitoring of topsoil stripping was carried out at Shelmaliere Commons, Co. Wexford on 24 March 2022. This work was to facilitate the creation of a new tiered seating and viewing area on the southern side of Forth Mountain. The viewing area is located c. 45m to the west of a prehistoric cairn site, WX042-007001. According to historical sources the cairn was completely removed in 1884 when a prehistoric pottery vessel (WX042-007002) was discovered (Ffrench 1895). No upstanding remains of the monument now survive and it is not illustrated on any of the Ordnance Survey maps for the area.
As part of the monitoring programme a sub-circular area measuring circa 230m² was stripped of topsoil and three parallel foundation trenches were excavated. No features, deposits or artefacts of archaeological interested were noted during this programme of works.
Reference
Ffrench, Rev. J. F. M. 1895 Cinerary urn found near Wexford. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland vol. 25, 384-6.
The Hill, The Leap, Davidstown, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
