Ring-ditch

The National Monuments Service's description

Located at the crest of the E-facing slope of a broad N-S ridge, with the round tower of Oran (RO034-080003-) c. 250m to the SSW. A geophysical survey (11R0074) of possible routes for a re-directed section of the N60 at Oran identified a number of possible enclosures defined by ditches (Gimson and Regan 2011). Archaeological testing (11E0247) disproved many of the anomalies, but a group of four features in Field 2 proved to be archaeological, and elements of the field system (RO034-081003-) may extend into this area. (O’Hara 2011)
This penannular enclosure with a wide gap (Wth 11m) at N, was completely excavated (E004889) and it is a circular area (int. diam. 13.5m E-W) defined by a ditch (max. Wth of top 2.7m; max. D 1.2m) with an entrance (Wth c. 1.8m) at SE. A sample from the base of the ditch, from which sherds of a bucket-shaped vessel were also recovered, produced a C14 date of 1740-1535 cal. BC. A second phase is represented by an arc (Chord c. 9.5m N-S) of a shallow trench (Wth 0.32-0.4m; D 0.12-0.14m) partly overlying the primary ditch at SW but largely outside it. A piece of blackthorn charcoal from its fill produced a C14 date of 1391-1231 cal. BC.
A third phase consists of an occupation layer (dims 6.1m x 5.3m; D 0.25m) of brown silty clay with charcoal partly over the primary ditch at W. A sample from this produced a C14 date of 170 cal. BC to 0 as did a sample from a charcoal clamp, which was an oval pit (dims 1.5m x 0.56m; D 0.07m) with a fire-reddened base and a single layer of black silty clay and charcoal c. 5m SE of the primary ditch. The habitation material was cut by a second penannular enclosure which was represented by interrupted sections of a ditch on the line of the original, and a fragment of hazel charcoal from this produced a C14 date of cal. AD 256 to cal. AD 413. Animal bones from this phase included horse, cattle and sheep/goat, and a copper alloy spiral ring was also recovered. The purpose of this monument is not clear, but it appears not to be a barrow as human remains seem to be completely absent and it had a long usage. All the features were truncated by post-medieval cultivation ridges. (McIlreavy 2020)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 3 December, 2014
Amended: 24 November 2020

References

Gimson, H. and Regan, D. 2011 N60 Oran (Carroweighter) Realignment. Archaeological Consultancy Services Contract Stage (1) 1 Geophysical Survey. Licence No. 11R0074. Unpublished report, Earthsound Archaeological Geophysics

O'Hara, R. 2011 N60 Oran (Carroweighter) Road Improvement Scheme. Stage (1) Test Excavation and Survey Services. Licence No. 11E0274. Unpublished report, Archer Heritage Planning

McIlreavy, D. 2020 Excavation report, Carroweighter 4. N60 Oran Realignment Road Project. Licence: E004889. Final unpublished report, IAC