County: Wicklow Site name: Ballydonarea, Kilcoole
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 23E0521
Author: Fergal Murtagh
Site type: Three sperate pits of unknown date
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 730021m, N 708629m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.112357, -6.057857
| Archaeological testing was carried out over the course of two days from 27 July 2023 at Ballydanarea, Kilcoole, County Wicklow, to study the impact, if any, on the archaeological and historical resource of a proposed development. This was following an initial desktop assessment of the site and a geophysical survey. The geophysical survey indicated the presence of multiple potential archaeological anomalies across the site and these were investigated thoroughly with the trench layout. Despite the results of the survey, only three small areas of archaeological potential were uncovered designated archaeological areas 1–3. These comprised three separate pits of unknown date.
Archaeological Area 1 comprised a sub-circular pit, measuring 1.25m in length, 1.34m in width and 0.9m in depth, with a gradual break of slope at top and imperceptible at base. This pit was filled by a mid-dark brown gravelly sand, with occasional large angular stone with a diameter of 0.2m, other rounded stones had an average diameter of 0.05m. The base of the pit showed traces of in-situ burning. Archaeological Area 2 comprised an oval pit, with gradually sloping sides and a concave base, recorded in this trench. The pit measured 1.7m in length, 1m in width and 0.16m in depth and was filled by, a loosely compacted dark brown clayey sand with frequent charcoal. Archaeological Area 3 consisted of a sub-oval pit, with a sharp break of slope at top and more gradual at a concave base. It measured 1.4m in length, 1.1m in width and 0.27m in depth and was filled by a light-mid brown sand with occasional rounded stone, charcoal and burnt clay. A number of non-archaeological features were also discovered comprising a number of linear field drains noted orientated east–west within Trenches 6, 10 and 14. These features relate to post-medieval and modern agricultural practices and are not deemed to be archaeologically significant.
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c/o IAC Ltd, Unit G1 Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
