DigVentures was appointed by the Rediscovering Ancient Connections Project Team of Pembrokeshire County Council to carry out geophysical surveys across four sites in County Wexford, Ireland. The sites were located at Kildoran Graveyard (SF 77521 05529), Toome Graveyard (SG 02754 12642), Kilmyshall Old Graveyard (SF 86162 13767), and St Mary’s Field in Ferns (SF 95919 08664).
This report details the results of the geophysical magnetometer and ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys undertaken across the four sites between the 7th to the 10th of October 2021 (DigVentures Project Code ANC21), which forms part of a third phase of works following surveys undertaken at St David’s in August 2020 (Roberts, 2020) and across Pembrokeshire in May 2021 (DigVentures, 2021). Due to the Covid19 Pandemic, the community participation aspect of the works could not take place and the surveys were carried out independently. The potential of these results to achieve the Aims and Objectives of the project are discussed in the final section of this report, along with recommendations for further investigation.
This report conforms with current best practice and to the guidance outlined the Management of Archaeological Research Projects in the Historic Environment (Historic England 2015), the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (2014), and the Europae Archaeologiae Consilium (EAC) Guidelines for the Use of Geophysics in Archaeology (Schmidt et al. 2016).
The work forms part of the Rediscovering Ancient Connections – The Saints project, which is a cross-border heritage and arts program. The program is 80% funded by the European Rural Development Fund and is led by Pembrokeshire County Council, with joint beneficiaries Wexford County Council, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority and Visit Wexford.