County: Mayo Site name: BALLINSMAULA
Sites and Monuments Record No.: RMP 101:27 Licence number: 01E1089
Author: Richard Crumlish, Archaeological Services Unit Ltd.
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 536166m, N 777178m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.740338, -8.967603
Pre-development testing of the site of a proposed dwelling-house with septic tank and associated services was carried out on 14 November 2001 at Ballinsmaula, Co. Mayo. The proposed development is within the constraint zone of a recorded monument, an enclosure. There were no visible extant remains of the monument.
The proposed development was in a pasture field along the west side of the new Claremorris/Knock Bypass, part of the N17. Ballinsmaula Abbey, a medieval Carmelite foundation, was visible on the other side of the new road.
Four trial-trenches were excavated. The stratigraphy consisted of modern backfill, natural gravels and boulder clay, below the topsoil. The gravels and boulder clay, located below topsoil in Trenches B and D, represented natural undisturbed stratigraphy. The backfill, located in Trenches A and C, resulted from the backfilling of a gravel pit within the last ten years. Modern artefacts, including plastic, were recovered from the backfill. Local information confirmed the existence of a gravel pit at this location.
Purcell House, Claregalway Road, Oranmore, Co. Galway
