Enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

This site was excavated (E3502) during 2005 as a part of a complex area know as Site 42-44 of the N11 Gorey to Arklow link. An extensive area (dims. 250m N-S 48-60m E-W) across the road-take was excavated, but geophysical survey indicates that activity extended outside this to the E, W and SW. Situated on the lower NW-facing slope of Ask Hill.
This is a possible funerary enclosure - structure E - in area C, and is located c. 25m SE of ring-ditch (WX007-076009-) in Area B. It is a penannular enclosure (diam. 24m) defined by a slot-trench (Wth 0.5m; D 0.3m), with an entrance (Wth 1.5m) at NNE marked by post-holes at the termini of the slot-trench. There are some post-holes in the slot-trench close to the opening. At the centre are nine cremation pits in a small area (dims 6m N-S; 3m E-W). The central cremation pit was the largest (diam. 1m; D 0.13m). There were no lithics and one of the peripheral cremation pits produced a bronze cross-mount (dim. c. 3cm) of 8th century AD date, suggesting a Viking-era date and origin for the enclosure. (Stevens 2008a, 392; 2008, 48-53)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 16 March, 2012

References

Stevens, P. 2008a Sites 42-44, Ask. Burial complex: standing stone, ring-ditch, penannular burial enclosure. in I. Bennett Excavations 2005. Summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 391-4, No. 1603. Wordwell. Dublin

Stevens, P. 2008 N11 Gorey to Arklow link: Archaeogical Resolution. Preliminary Report A003/020 E3502 Site 42-44, Ask townland, Co. Wexford. Unpublished report: V. J. Keeley Ltd.