2024:672 - Ballyconnigar Lower, Blackwater, Wexford

A total of twenty test trenches were excavated within the proposed development site. Each trench measured
1.8m in width, and in total, 1,747m of linear trenches were excavated. The topsoil (C1) was a brownish
grey sand and the natural (C2) ranged from a light grey sand to an orange sand to a dark brown gravelly clay.
Modern agricultural furrows and ditches were noted in the trenches. A number of trenches were
disturbed by agricultural activity and by the use of machinery gaining access to the quarry. These activities
account for the positive results on the geophysical survey undertaken by AMS earlier in 2014 (24R0304). Tthe south-eastern end of Trench 6 was disturbed by heavy trucks using the area for access to the quarry. At the north-western end of Trench 10(b) root scarring was noted as well as a number of furrows. In Trenches 16 to 18 a linear feature corresponded with that of a linear feature on the geophysical survey. However, this is one of several linear features, aligned southwest to northeast, filled with grey sand and is likely the remains of an agricultural furrow.
There were no archaeological structures features or deposits recorded in any of the trenches. The proposed development will not impact on any archaeology, therefore, no further mitigation is required.