Hearth

The National Monuments Service's description

Identified in centre-line testing (E4110) in advance of the M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy road scheme and set aside for resolution as Ballydawmore 3 (Hardy et al. 2010, 80-1). It is situated on a slight S-facing slope with an E-W stream c. 90m to the S. Excavation (E4279) by Y. Whitty recorded a hearth (dims 0.67m x 0.6m; T 0.07m) occupying a small, natural hollow, which was filled with a deposit of loose, red oxidised sand (dims 1.55m x 1.22m). A sherd of prehistoric pottery and burnt bone was recovered from this deposit, and Middle Bronze pottery was recovered from the topsoil. A second phase is represented by four small pits (dims 0.48m x 0.53m; D 0.22m to 0.95m x 0.9m; D 0.34m) and two larger pits (dims 2.1m N-S; 1.4m E-W; D 0.22m: 1.9m N-S; 1.65m E-W; D 0.44m). Some of the pits have a stratigraphic relationship, and a sample from one of the larger pits produced a C14 date of Cal. AD 897-1117. The metalworking site (WX020-112----) is c. 75m to the N, and the pits in Corbally townland (WX020-114----) are c. 120m to the S. (McNamara and Taylor 2012; Whitty 2013)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 28 November

References

Hardy, C., Nugent, L., Homan Reid, R; O'Liathain, N; Whitty, Y.; and Coleman, C. 2010 N11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme. Archaeological Consultancy Services, Stage (1)a. E4110. Testing report for Wexford County Council. Unpublished. TVAS (Ireland).

McNamara, M. and Taylor, K. 2012 M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme, Co. Wexford. E4279, Ballydawmore 3. Stage (IV) Final Excavation Report for Wexford County Council. Unpublished report, TVAS (Ireland).

Whitty, Y. 2013 Ballydawmore 3: pits and deposits. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2010: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 220, No. 695. Dublin. Wordwell.