Field system in Rathcobican

This site was on good pastureland beside the platform ringfort (OF011-017001-). There was no evidence of a field system in this area, however the field has been enlarged due to argicultural improvement. During this time the field systems may have been destroyed. Field systems were ideintifed from aerial photographs taken in 1966 (CUCAP APH 76). Test excavation was undertaken by Dominic Delany under licence no. 99E0461, from 30 August to 3 September 1999, before application for planning permission for four detached dwellings. The sites are within the area of constraint around a ringfort that consists of a raised circular platform (diameter 44.8m, height 1m), enclosed by a slight bank largely reduced to a scarp, and an external fosse (width 4m, depth 0.9m). The SMR file for this site also notes that a field system (OF011-017002-) possibly associated with the ringfort exists in the area west and south-west of the monument. The ringfort (OF011-017001-) is 25m from the eastern edge of the proposed development site, which measures 70m north-south by 125m. Three test-trenches were mechanically excavated, 125m long and 1.5m wide, extending east-west across the site. The features encountered were three spreads of burnt material, probably levelled fulachta fiadh, and portion of a circular enclosure, possibly a ring-ditch. Several linear and curvilinear features were also encountered, but it was not clearly established whether these were of archaeological significance. Test excavations carried out by Aine Richardson for Eachtra under licence no. 02E0077 in field to SW of ringfort revealed linear features, cultivation ridges, pits and old field drains. All of this material may have been associated with earlier field systems which show up on aerial photographs. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien. Date of upload: 23 May 2011