The site was discovered in 2011 during archaeological excavations ahead of a proposed dam development. What archaeologists found was a shallow spread of charcoal, burnt clay and heat-shattered stone measuring roughly 3.8 by 2.2 metres. The charcoal fragments, identified as oak, hazel and alder, provided crucial dating evidence; radiocarbon analysis of the alder charcoal placed the site firmly in the middle Bronze Age, between 1726 and 1523 BC.

The burnt spread, interpreted as the remains of a hearth or fire, yielded several artefacts including a flint core, a flint flake and a fragment of quartz flake. These tools suggest the site was used for more than just warmth or cooking; it was likely part of a broader pattern of Bronze Age activity in the area. The careful selection of wood species found in the charcoal might indicate deliberate choices for specific purposes, as different woods burn at different temperatures and durations.

This site doesn’t stand alone but forms part of a remarkable complex of monuments spanning thousands of years. Just 45 metres away sits a Neolithic cairn, whilst 50 metres to the northwest an Early Bronze Age wedge tomb was discovered at the southwest end of that same cairn. The area also features another middle Bronze Age pit with evidence of burning about 25 metres away, and a Late Bronze Age fulacht fia, or ancient cooking site, approximately 60 metres to the northwest. Together, these monuments reveal that this elevated spot overlooking Lough Mourne held significance for multiple cultures across millennia, serving various ritual, domestic and practical purposes from the Neolithic through to the Late Bronze Age.