County: Sligo Site name: SLIGO: 15 and 16 Stephen Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 97E0138
Author: Ruairí Ó Baoill, Archaeological Development Services Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 569289m, N 836091m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.272701, -8.471501
During a pre-development assessment at the rear of Nos 15 and 16 Stephen Street, Sligo, carried out by Eoin Halpin of ADS Ltd in February 1997, a wall was discovered running in an east–west direction across the site. As a result, it was recommended that an excavation take place to determine the nature and date of this feature.
The excavation was carried out between 19 and 22 May 1997. The area available for investigation was close to the northern bank of the River Garvoge and on the periphery of a building site where commercial and domestic buildings fronting onto Stephen Street were being constructed.
The excavation revealed several courses of walling and stratigraphy dating from the 18th century and later. These may be the earliest evidence for river defences so far investigated in Sligo town and were probably erected as the town expanded in size once more after the end of the turbulent 17th century.
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