County: Mayo Site name: POLLNACAPPUL, Church St., Westport
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 95E0222
Author: Gerry Walsh, Áras an Chontae, Mayo County Council
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 499772m, N 784016m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.796040, -9.521321
This pre-development testing was carried out on 2 October 1995. Poulnacappul, a pool measuring 20m x 12m approx., is not a listed monument but may have been a ritual pool in antiquity. Three trial-trenches radiating out from the pool were excavated down to the natural subsoil.
Trench I was 28m long and 1m wide. Overlying the natural was a light brown sticky clay, 0.3m thick. Some clay pipe fragments and some 20th-century pottery were recovered. Overlying this was a layer of topsoil and roots, 0.38m thick.
Trench II was 26m long and 1m wide. Overlying the natural was a brown clay with oyster shell, 0.5m thick. Overlying this was topsoil. A sewer-pipe ran in a north-south direction at the eastern end of the trench.
Trench III was 26m long by 1m wide. Overlying natural was a grey daub/gravel, 0.3m thick, below topsoil/roots.
No features or finds of archaeological importance were recovered. A watching brief will be required on site when the pool is being cleaned out.
Castlebar, Co. Mayo
