2023:765 - Ballyleary/Woodstock, Cork

Archaeological test-trenching  was undertaken in compliance with a planning permission granted by Cork County Council.  The location of the test-trenches was dictated by areas proposed to be developed and the results of a geophysical magnetometer survey (Licence 22R0308). The survey detected some isolated features that were deemed to have ‘limited archaeological potential’ and these responses, along with other liner trends, were subject to test-trenching. By and large, the trends apparent in the geophysical survey relate primarily to linear agricultural features such as old field boundaries and field drains of early modern date.

Of the sixty-two trenches excavated across both townlands, only one was confirmed to contain archaeological material. Four pits were found in Trench 1, two containing fire-cracked stone (F1 and F2), possibly relating to a pyrolithic technology of prehistoric date. Two of the pits were half-sectioned and were found to be relatively shallow, filled with grey charcoal-flecked silt and burnt stone of consistent size, suggesting repeated firing and quenching until the stone could not be used further. This practice is commonly associated with pyrolithic water-boiling.  The pits were found in close association, but were not part of a larger archaeological site, such as a fulacht fia or burnt mound.  Another larger pit (F6) found in spatial association with the former, is likely of later date, possibly relating to modern agricultural practices. The pit appeared to truncate a smaller, charcoal-filled feature (F3), suggesting it is later in the sequence of activity in this trench.

The other features identified across the trenches correspond to agricultural furrows, drains and relict field boundaries (F7-F35) of post-medieval/early modern date, most of which were detected by the geophysical survey. The relict field boundary ditches are also indicated on the historic mapping of the area.  These are not archaeological features.  No archaeological finds of earlier date were recovered from any of these trenches.