County: Westmeath Site name: BALLYMORE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 01E0278
Author: Martin E. Byrne
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Medieval (AD 400-AD 1600)
ITM: E 621940m, N 748879m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.489474, -7.669392
Testing was undertaken at a development site at Ballymore, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, on 17 July 2001. The site is within the archaeological constraint area associated with the deserted medieval borough of Ballymore Lough Sewdy. To the south-west of the site, in an adjacent field, is a stone tower. This is identified on OS maps as the site of Plary Monastery (Augustinian Priory of St Mary). However, the existing remains have none of the features of a religious house and it is suggested in the Urban Archaeological Survey that the feature may be the remains of a castle, first referred to in 1690 during a siege as a ‘round stone castle’.
Nine trenches were excavated within the boundaries of the site. No features of archaeological interest were encountered and the only artefact recovered was a single sherd of green-glazed pottery, of probable medieval date.
Following discussions with Dúchas, the site layout was redesigned in order to ensure sight-lines through the development between the existing road and the adjacent stone tower.
31 Millford, Athgarvan, Co. Kildare
