1993:201 - THE GREEN FORT, Fort Hill, Sligo, Sligo

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Sligo Site name: THE GREEN FORT, Fort Hill, Sligo

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 93E0119

Author: Eoin Halpin, ADS Ltd

Site type: Bastioned fort

Period/Dating: Post Medieval (AD 1600-AD 1750)

ITM: E 569458m, N 836105m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.272838, -8.468908

In 1646 the sum of £270 was allocated for the fortification of Sligo and Roscommon. It is generally accepted that some of this money was used to construct the Stone Fort in the town, the site of which is now occupied by the town hall. It has also been suggested that the construction of the Green Fort may also date from this time. It is described as an earthwork in poor condition and is recorded on the Down Survey map of the Barony of Carbury, both sources dating to about 1656. The fort features again in the Williamite wars, when it was defended by Teige O'Regan for the Jacobites. At the end of the 19th century the site was described as being almost one acre in extent and consisting of a large bastion and a platform at each corner. Access to the interior was gained via two gates with the whole site surrounded by a large fosse. The fort is presumed to be located at the north-east corner of the town with banked and ditched defences running due west and south of the site. The area currently proposed for Phase 1 of the development lies some 120m to the south-west of the fort, and 50m to the south of the projected line of the town defences. In all three trenches were machine excavated down to, and through undisturbed sub-soil. Each of the trenches ran approximately north-south, extending the full width of the development area. The area of the proposed development, while it is within the area of the town as defined by the 17th-century 'defences', is located away from the medieval and early post-medieval centre, on ground that may never have been occupied in the history of the town. Evidence from this testing exercise would suggest that this is the case.

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