2024:879 - Mocmoyne, Knocknashee, Termon and Warren or Drum, Boyle, Roscommon

Archaeological monitoring of groundworks associated with public realm enhancement works was carried out in Boyle town centre between November 2023 and November 2024. Stone culverts were found at several locations along the route of the works, remnants of cobbled surfaces were uncovered outside ‘Taylors’ and the ‘Royal Hotel’ on Bridge Street, and part of the threshold of the original main entrance door to the ‘Royal Hotel’ was found in situ beneath an existing window. The stone culverts and metaled surfaces are part of the old infrastructure of the town, and likely date from the 19^th or early 20^th century. The threshold stone is associated with the hotel, which was originally built in the late 18^th century.

No stratified deposits were found, and all small finds recovered during the course of monitoring are of 19^th/20^th-century date. The most interesting finds came from the rubble fill within the post office car park where two dressed limestone blocks and part of a rotary quern stone were found. One of the dressed limestone blocks features a concave surface decorated with concentric lines. It may be part of a large receptacle, such as a decorative water fountain, and is likely of 19^th-century date. The second dressed stone is a rectangular slab decorated with linear lines, and containing the remains of a lead and iron clamp. The capstones on the parapet of the 19^th-century bridge at Boyle feature similar linear dressing, and the use of lead and iron clamps. The rotary quern stone fragment features part of the central hole and most of the handle slot, the surviving evidence suggesting the original complete stone had a diameter of about 0.45m.