County: Galway Site name: ORANMORE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 96E0388
Author: Gerry Walsh
Site type: Standing stone, Mill - corn, Fulacht fiadh, Enclosure and Burial
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 538629m, N 724612m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.268300, -8.920000
In December 1995 the writer undertook pre-development testing in the vicinity of four archaeological sites on the proposed Oranmore Sewerage Scheme. All the sites were located on County Galway OS 6” sheet 95. Testing commenced on 4 March and was completed on 8 March 1996. The sites to be tested were previously numbered in the initial archaeological survey of the proposed scheme by the Archaeological Services Unit, University College Galway. In order to avoid confusion, the initial UCG site numbers are used in this report. All sites were tested with the use of a mechanical excavator.
Site No. 8, possible standing stone, Oranmore townland
The possible standing stone measured 1.25m by 0.38m and was 0.9m high. It was one of many limestone rock outcrops in the area. A number of smaller stones were situated around the base of the stone.
An area measuring 40m north-south x 26m east-west was excavated around the stone within the wayleave. The stratigraphy around the stone was very shallow and consisted of a layer of topsoil up to 0.2m thick which lay directly on the natural limestone bedrock. Two complete unretouched black chert flakes and two small broken chert chips were recovered from the topsoil in the vicinity of the stone.
Site No. 11, mill Millpot townland SMR 95:81
The mill is marked as a flour mill on the 1838 first-edition OS 6” map. The remains of the mill existed up until the 1950s when it was demolished. Prior to pre-development testing no remains of the mill existed above present ground level. During pre-development testing some of the walls of the mill and the mill-race were uncovered. It measured 15m north-south and was wider at the southern (7. 5m) than at the northern (4.4m) end.
Five courses of the eastern wall of the mill survived to a height of 1m. The 0.35m-thick wall consisted of roughly rectangular stones measuring from 0.25m x 0.2m to 0.56m x 0.3m. Only one course of the northern and western walls survived and lay on a foundation of yellowish/brown mortar. The original line of the mill-race parallel to the southern wall of the mill was also exposed. A roughly paved area inside the southern end of the mill probably represented part of the original ground-floor level. Some red brick and modern glass were the only small finds recovered from the vicinity of the mill.
Site No. 13, fulacht fiadh, Frenchfort townland
The proposed temporary easement width (wayleave) is designed to run through this site. However, following consultation with the consulting engineers, it was agreed to move the line of the wayleave 8m away from the fulacht fiadh.
An area measuring 25m x 12m was archaeologically tested approximately 3m south and south-east of the fulacht fiadh. The stratigraphy in this area was very shallow and consisted of a layer of topsoil, 0.2m thick, which lay directly on a mixture of natural gravel and a white/light brown natural daub. One complete unretouched black chert flake and a possible worked chert lump were recovered from the natural daub.
This site has now been archaeologically resolved and topsoil removal and pipe-laying can proceed.
Site No. 14, rectangular enclosure, Frenchfort townland
An area measuring 53.5m x 16.5m was archaeologically tested 10m south and south-east of the rectangular enclosure. The stratigraphy within this area was very shallow and consisted of a layer of topsoil, 0.2–0.3m thick, which overlay a mixture of natural gravel and white/light brown natural daub.
Approximately 7m west of point 58.2 on the proposed pipeline, a very thin spread of grey clay overlying the natural daub produced a chert blade, two chert chunks, a possible chert scraper and a bifacially worked chert flake. A further 15m to the west of this spread a human skeleton was uncovered, approximately 0.4m below present ground level, buried in the white/light brown daub. The skeleton was in a very poor condition and the bucket of the mechanical excavator had also damaged the remains.
The fully extended skeleton was orientated north-south with the head to the north. It measured 1.75m in length and was 0.25m wide (max.) at the pelvis. Only the back of the skull survived, but part of the jaw and two teeth were recovered from the ribcage area. A wooden(?) bead was also recovered from the pelvic area.
Rathbawn Rd. Castlebar, Co. Mayo
