County: Wexford Site name: Hooks
Sites and Monuments Record No.: WX046-043 Licence number: 24E0316
Author: Donald Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit Ltd
Site type: Two ring-ditches, pit circle, linear and curvilinear feature, pits and spreads
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 696000m, N 609000m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.224376, -6.594850
The site at Hooks, Co. Wexford, was subject to archaeological assessment, including a geological survey (24R0022) and targeted test trenching using a metal detector (24E0316, 24R0193). The geophysical survey detected definite archaeological monuments within Fields 1, 2, 3 and 10 (M1-M16).
A total of 29 test trenches were excavated within the site. The test trenches targeted anomalies discovered during the geophysical survey. Each trench measured 1.8m in width, and in total 476 of linear trenches were excavated. The test trenches were excavated to the natural subsoil. In general, topsoil measured between 0.2m to 0.6m in depth. Spoil from excavated test trenches was examined for finds, both visually and with a Garrett ATX metal detector under licence 24R0193.
The test trenching carried out confirmed the presence of archaeological monuments and features, including a ringdtich C34, ringditch C3/C7 and a pit circle (C12, C14, C13). Furthermore, a number of linear and curvilinear ditches were exposed that could represent a former field system following the topography of the land.
Associated with ringditch C3/C7 was activity in the form of pits (C4 – 5) located within it, with linear ditches C8/10, C9 to the north and an isolated post-hole C11. A number of linear and curvilinear ditches were recorded throughout the site (C15, C17, C18, C19, C25, C26, C27, C33, C35, C37, C39 and C40) and a number of posts, pits and spreads (C11, C16, C23, C24, C28 – C32).
Features of archaeological significance were exposed. Features, where tested, did not exceed the depth of 0.3m, suggesting that heavy ploughing took place. Furthermore, the test trenching was carried out during torrential rain, and on a number of occasions, the locations of linear and curvilinear flooded rapidly. It is possible that these might represent drains that follow the natural topography of land; however, as no datable material was retrieved, the antiquity of these features can not be ruled out.
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