Embanked enclosure — Ballymaclare

Marked as an oval embanked enclosure (ext. dims c. 60m NE-SW; c. 40m NW-SE) on the 1839 ed. of the OS 6-inch map and as two E-W banks inside NW-SE field banks at NE and SW on the 1924 ed. It is situated on a gentle E-facing slope at the E-facing foothills of Slievecoilte with a slight W-E valley just to the S and a N-S stream c. 170m to the E with the ground falling away to its flat-bottomed valley immediately to the E. This is a grass-covered trapezoidal area (dims. c. 55m NE-SW at W; c. 25m NE-SW at E) defined by grass-covered earthen banks (Wth 5.8-6m; int. H c. 0.5-0.8m; ext. H 1.4-1.6m) and outer flat-bottomed fosses (Wth of top 7.5-8m; Wth of base 4m; D c. 0.4m) only at N (L 44m) and S (L 35m). There is no evidence of a bank or fosse at the W side (L 54m) or the E side (L 25m). Ballymaclare church (WX034-036001-) and graveyard (WX034-036002-) are c. 110m to the S. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1996). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload/revision: 13 September, 2012