Burnt mound in Ballyvadden

Situated towards the head of a N-S valley at the headwaters of a stream that runs S and then W to the N-S Mahon River. It was first identified as a burnt srpead by C. Moloney (2006) in testing (06E0163) on the line of a water pipe, and subsequently sample excavated (06E0275) by B. Cosham. This is a spread of burnt stone and charcoal-rich clay (dims. 8.5m N-S; 4m E-W; max. T 0.17m), but most of the monument was truncated by a N-S field bank on the E side. No features or artefacts were recovered, but a piece of oak charcoal produced a C14 date of 1615-1491 cal. BC (Cosham 2008, 3, App. 8). Burnt mound (WA024-118----) is c. 120m lower down the valley to the SSW. (Janes 2009) Compiled by: Michael Moore. Date of upload/revision: 12th May, 2011.

Burnt mound in Ballyvadden is a Neolithic ritual or industrial site, dating to approximately 4000–2500 BCE. Its significance lies in providing evidence of early human activity, possibly related to heat-treated stone use or ceremonial practices.