2025:422 - Mitchellsfort, Cork

A programme of archaeological test trenching was undertaken in the townland of Mitchellsfort, near Watergrasshill, Co. Cork, between 20 and 24 October 2025. The test trenching was carried out in response to an Request For Information received from Cork County Council and was preceded by a geophysical survey (Dowling 2025, Licence No. 25R0325). The area investigated covered approximately 4.65 ha. A total of 33 test trenches were excavated, amounting to 2,433 linear metres in total. The trench locations were selected to target geophysical anomalies and to examine approximately 12% of the proposed development area.

Examination of the aerial photographic record indicated that significant levelling, field boundary removal, consolidation, and land reclamation works were undertaken at the site between 1996 and 2013. Nonetheless, archaeological deposits were identified during the programme of archaeological test trenching, within Trench 23 and its extensions:
• Possible pit/trough: Sub-rectangular/oval in plan; orientated north-south; filled with loose, mixed sandy silt with heat-affected stones, occasional small stones; no charcoal evident (centred on ITM 576283, 583797).
• Burnt mound (approx. 21m (north-west/south-east) x 25m). Estimated 0.5 in height: sub-oval in plan (centred on ITM 576270, 583760).

Following survey of the identified archaeological deposits, they were covered with plastic and the excavated trenches were backfilled.

The preceding geophysical survey recorded a number of linear and curvilinear anomalies classified as positive trends. Although all of these anomalies were targeted during testing, none could be identified in any trench, nor did any appear to correspond with the known historic field layout.

The linear anomalies identified during the geophysical survey as relict field boundaries were largely traceable on historic mapping. Only one additional field boundary was identified that was not depicted on any historic cartographic source. In form and scale, this boundary was consistent with the other field boundaries identified on the site and was considered to be post-medieval in date, though redundant by the time of the First Edition 6-inch Ordnance Survey (c. 1840).

The linear anomalies identified during the preceding geophysical survey as field drains were confirmed to represent modern, hand-dug, stone-filled field drains.