Enclosure in Shandon

Situated on relatively high ground overlooking the W-E River Colligan which is immediately to the N, at the point where it turns S before entering the sea at Dungarvan Harbour, c. 1.7km to the S. It was identified in monitoring (00E0442) by S. Elder in Area 2 of a large housing development (Elder 2002b, 5-6; 2003), and subsequently partially excavated (01E0327) by E. Dennehy (2001; 2003), but the site is now largely preserved in an open area. The S edge of a large subrectangular enclosure (int. dim. c. 75m E-W; surviving N-S dim. c. 35m) was excavated, its N extent being truncated by quarrying. It was defined by a flat-bottomed fosse (at W: Wth of top 2.4m; D 1.3m; at S: Wth of top 3.6m; D 1.8m) with an entrance (Wth c. 3m) at the centre of the S side, although the fosse was not traced over some of the E side L c. 17m). Fifty three pit-bottoms (diam. c. 1.5m; D c. 0.15m) filled with charcoal-enriched soil were identified in the interior, with evidence of metal-working concentrated in the SE of the interior. Some features were also noted outside to the S, and a metal-working area (WA031-073----) was located outside the enclosure, c. 50m to the NE. Dennehy, E. (2001) Report on archaeological excavations and testing at Area 2, Shandon, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. Unpublished report. Eachtra Archaeological Projects. Dennehy, E. (2003) Shandon, Dungarvan: Medieval rectangular earthwork and environs. in I. Bennett (Ed.) Excavations 2001: summary accounts of excavations in Ireland, 387-8, No. 1242. Wordwell. Bray. Elder, S. (2002b) Report on archaeological monitoring of Areas 2 and 3 of a development at Shandon, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. Unpublished report. Eachtra Archaeological Projects Elder, S. (2003) Shandon, Dungarvan. Urban. in I. Bennett (Ed.) Excavations 2001: summary accounts of excavations in Ireland, 387, No. 1241. Wordwell. Bray Compiled by: Michael Moore.