2002:1291 - BALLYBARRACK/LITTLEMILL/DONAGHMORE/ ACARREAGH/NEWTOWNBALREGAN/TATEETRA/BALREGAN/BALRIGGAN, Louth

Testing was undertaken along the 7km of Section 1 of the proposed Dundalk Western Bypass, Co. Louth. The linear testing programme involved the excavation of a trench, c. 0.3–0.5m deep (depending on the depth of archaeological deposits or natural geology) and 2m wide, along the centre-line of the proposed route. Offset trenches, 2m wide, were excavated on either side of the road at intervals of 25m (staggered at 50m intervals on each side) within the area of land-take. There was provision to excavate additional trenches in areas that revealed subsoil remains.

Mechanical testing began on 27 March and continued for sixteen days, with further, manual testing until 18 April. This was carried out using three 20-tonne machines, each equipped with a 2m bucket. All of the machines started from different points, at both ends of the scheme and around halfway. On completion of the testing of Section 1, a number of the sites were returned to for further investigation. This involved the opening of areas generally measuring 10m by 10m over suspected sites. The sites were numbered and named on a townland basis.

Site 1: Littlemill 1.3 and 1.4
At approximately Chainage 17455 on the centre-line trench a charcoal-rich pit was recorded. An area of 10m by 10m was opened and produced evidence of two closely set, parallel, linear features (both c. 2.5m long). These contained a dark brown fill with frequent charcoal. Two sherds of prehistoric pottery (possibly Neolithic) were recovered from these features.

An additional area, measuring 5.5m by 3.5m, was opened to the north of the original trench, as the features appeared to extend under the northern baulk. Twelve possibly archaeological features were recorded surrounding the linear features, which, on further investigation, may prove to be small pits or the remnants of post-holes. Most of these features were rich in charcoal. One struck flint flake was recovered from a charcoal-rich feature.

Site 2: Littlemill 2.1 and 2.2
Linear testing at approximately Chainages 17585– 635 produced evidence of two spreads of burnt material. These were composed of heat-shattered and -fractured stone and charcoal. The larger spread (Littlemill 2.1) was recorded between the centre-line and a field drain, over an area of at least 12m. Littlemill 2.2 was c. 30m from Littlemill 2.1 and was recorded as a small spread of similar material (heat-shattered stone and charcoal) measuring at least 2m by 3m.

Site 3: Littlemill 4
At approximately Chainage 17828, in an offset 6.6m from the centre-line, a large, irregularly shaped pit measuring 2.3m by 1.52m was recorded. The pit contained medium-sized, flat and subangular stones across the surface. These appeared almost to be coursed toward the centre of the pit, as they overlapped at least three times. The fill was dark silt with frequent charcoal and burnt bone.

A charcoal-rich pit and two possible postholes appeared to be oriented east–west to the north of the larger pit. Two other charcoal-rich features were recorded to the north-east and south of the pit.

Site 4: Littlemill 5
At approximately Chainage 17878, 13m east of the centre-line, a charcoal-rich pit was recorded. This pit contained a large amount of charcoal and some burnt clay. The trench also produced evidence of cultivation furrows and a modern field ditch.

Site 5: Donaghmore 1
This site was tested by Fintan Walsh (No. 1304, Excavations 2002, 02E0369).

Site 6: Donaghmore 4 and 4.1
Donaghmore 4 was at approximately Chainage 19710 in the first western offset at the top of the field, 3m from the centre-line. The potential site comprised an irregularly shaped feature containing a black silty fill with charcoal, c. 0.9m by 0.7m, extending under the baulk. To the east of this were two possible post-holes. The larger, positioned centrally in the trench, had an average diameter of c. 0.5m and contained a dark grey/brown fill with angular stones and charcoal. To the south of this was a circular feature, c. 0.2m in diameter, with a dark grey fill containing charcoal. A curving linear feature was recorded running roughly north–south across the trench, to the east. At a distance 1.7m east of this were a circular feature (c. 0.55m in diameter) and a rectangular feature (c. 0.9m by 0.3m).

Donaghmore 4.1 was at approximately Chainage 19700, 10m south-west of Donaghmore 4. It comprised a linear feature running along the southern baulk of the trench, c. 4.1m long and at least 0.5m wide, and under the baulk. The feature was oriented roughly east–west. It was shallow and filled with a mid-brown/grey, sandy silt with frequent small stones and charcoal inclusions. It was situated to the east of the site-specific testing of Donaghmore 1.

Site 7: Donaghmore 5
At approximately Chainage 19775 were two pits/spreads c. 3.2m apart, to the north of and below Donaghmore 1 and 4. Both contained dark brown silt with a moderate amount of charcoal and angular stones.

Site 8: Donaghmore 6
At approximately Chainage 19800 was an irregular heart-shaped feature with frequent inclusions of charcoal, burnt bone and heat-fractured stone. The feature was in an area covered by a grey alluvial deposit and measured 1.2m by 0.7m.

Site 9: Newtownbalregan 1.1
The site was on the centre-line at approximately Chainage 20413. Six features were identified in the cutting. The largest was a spread of burnt stone with a high concentration of charcoal. This spread thinned to the east and appeared to overlie grey alluvial clay with moderate amounts of charcoal. The grey material was cut by a later ditch/drain (which produced a sherd of post-medieval pottery). The main spread of material measured c. 8m by 6.4m.

West of the spread of burnt material was a possible subrectangular pit, measuring 3.76m by 2.14m. To the south-west of the above features was a curvilinear band of dark grey material with frequent charcoal inclusions (c. 0.14m wide and over 2m long).

Site 10: Newtownbalregan 1.2
Approximately 50m north of Newtownbalregan 1.1 an extra trench was excavated across the crest of a hill overlooking the stream and former wetland. This measured 53m by 2m. Two features were found in the trench. The first was a small pit that measured 0.3m by 0.25m. The second was a spread or shallow pit that produced a possible later Mesolithic flint flake.

Site 11: Newtownbalregan 2
This site was on a hilltop overlooking a stream at approximately Chainage 20774. Initial linear testing in this area had uncovered a possible hearth or pit containing burnt material and a linear feature running north-east/south-west. On extension of the original test area, further evidence of archaeological activity was uncovered. The possible hearth revealed in the initial phase of testing had consisted of a lentoid pit, c. 1.7m long and 0.7m wide. An area measuring c. 10m2 was opened around this, with archaeology being found in the 6m2 to the south.

This consisted of a further, smaller lentoid spread, c. 0.9m long and 0.4m wide. A stone-packed subcircular pit, 0.7m long and 0.4m wide, and nine possible post-holes were also present. The post-holes were mostly c. 0.2–0.25m in diameter and roughly circular in plan. Most were concentrated in the south-western area of the test-trench, forming a loose arc 3m across at its widest point.

A second area was opened c. 20m to the west, which revealed the original linear feature running north-east/south-west. This possible ditch was 1.9m across and 0.5m deep. It had three distinct fills, with the middle layer containing fairly frequent charcoal inclusions.

Site 12: Newtownbalregan 5
At approximately Chainage 21262 a series of features, comprising charcoal spreads, four possible post-holes, pits and one area of in situ burning, was uncovered. The four post-holes had an average diameter of 0.4m and had no visible pattern. Two possible pits were associated with these post-holes, both containing a large amount of burnt stone and charcoal throughout. A large spread of charcoal-rich material was also found. This was irregularly shaped and was adjacent to a small area of in situ burning. The burning was c. 0.5m in diameter, subcircular in plan and red/orange in colour.

Site 13: Newtownbalregan 6
Testing uncovered a number of linear anomalies (possibly drains/field boundaries). One of these features contained two very distinct fills, both of which produced several fragments of charcoal. They also produced several pieces of struck flint, the top fill producing a core fragment.

Site 14: Balregan 1
This site was tested by Shane Delaney (No. 1292, Excavations 2002, 02E0372).

Site 15: Balriggan 1
Testing produced evidence of a large area of archaeological activity over an area of at least 100m by 100m. This evidence was in the form of cut features, including possible ditches, pits and a possible stone-lined grave. A number of artefacts were also recovered, including a fragment of a rotary quern, a flint end scraper and crude, bucket-shaped pottery, possibly souterrain ware.

Site 16: Balriggan 3
This was beside a watermill site, at approximately Chainage 22720 along the centre-line. Building/ structure foundations were concentrated in an area to the north-west of a tree ring. The potential features appeared to cover an area of at least 20m by 20m. The foundations were well defined, with deposits of lime mortar.

Site 17: Balriggan 4
Immediately to the north-west of Balriggan 3, at approximately Chainage 22710, was a circular pit with charcoal and burnt bone, which had a diameter of c. 0.4m.

Site 18: Balriggan 5
A mill-race extended east–west across the wayleave of the road and crossed the centre of the wayleave at Chainage 22680. The mill-race was in a good state of preservation but had no flow and was overgrown.

Site 19: Balriggan 6
Just outside of the road-take to the south-east of Balriggan 5, c. 70m east of the centre-line at Chainage 22720, were the remains of a mill and associated buildings.

Site 20: Donaghmore 2
During linear testing the remains of a house structure (possibly of 19th–20th-century date) were recorded at approximately Chainage 18081–101.

Site 21: Donaghmore 3
To the north of Donaghmore 2, at Chainage 18148, was a large pit, measuring 1.8m in diameter, that extended into the baulk.

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