Enclosure in Ballitore

Archaeological testing on the route of the Moone-Timolin-Ballitore Hill N9 Realignment Scheme produced significant amounts of medieval pottery and the possible remains of medieval structures, and resulted in the archaeological excavation (Licence No. 99E0202) of two fields within the area of the road-take to ascertain the nature and full extent of the site, which was numbered 'Site 45'. The main feature identified was a large ditch enclosing a raised central area (diam. c. 41m) with a further embankment to the south. Three later field boundaries trisected the site. The enclosing ditch began as three separate ditches, which ran for c. 25m, before joining to form one ditch. This was traced for a further 45m, giving an overall length of 70m. It varied from 3m to 4m wide and was c. 1m deep. Large amounts of animal bone and medieval pottery were recovered from the fill. A series of ploughmarks and minor ditches were found outside the main enclosing ditch, probably representing associated agriculture and drainage features. They extended up to, but not beyond, the ditch, suggesting that they respected the line of the already-existing ditch. These too produced finds of medieval pottery. The enclosed area also contained further small gullies and ditches, as well as the remains of two possible house structures (KD036-049001- and KD036-049002-). (www.excavations.ie; Opie 2009, 171-3) Date of upload: 5 September 2016