2003:2181 - ATHENRY, Galway

Test excavation was carried out on a proposed development site in Athenry, Co. Galway, in late May/early June 2003. The site is located in the southeast part of the medieval town and is divided east–west by the River Clareen. These lands formed much of the demesne pertaining to Athenry House, the 18th-century estate of the Lopdells. The medieval town wall, which was substantially rebuilt as a demesne wall, forms the southern and part of the eastern site boundaries, with the south-east angle tower of the defences being in the south-east corner of the site. This phase of testing was confined to the land on the east side of the river, as the land on the west side was tested as part of a previous planning application in 1998 (Excavations 1998, No. 230, 98E0432). There is no evidence to suggest that this part of the town was settled in the medieval period and the 1998 excavations suggest very limited medieval activity in this area. The 13th-century Dominican priory stands immediately north of the development site. The entire site is presently used for sheep grazing. The only standing structural feature is the partly collapsed remains of a demesne wall which extends east–west across the central part of the site. The land to the north of this wall is relatively level, while that to the south displays a slight downward slope towards the river on the west. There is a raised, irregular platform (c. 120m east–west by c. 60m), thought to be a landscape feature, in the south-east corner of the site. The site also contains two wells, which are named ‘spa well’ and ‘moor well’ on OS maps.

A tracked excavator fitted with a wide, toothless digging bucket was retained to excavate eleven trenches on the site, located at 20m intervals and 50–130m long. A 25m buffer zone was retained between the town wall and the trenches and, as no development is proposed for the north-east part of the site, a 45m buffer zone was retained around the Dominican priory. The results of testing were negative and only a washed sand and gravel deposit on the east side of the river was deemed to be of any significance. This deposit is almost certainly a result of river flooding, albeit possibly in the medieval period. The discovery of peaty silt layers across the site is further evidence that much of the tested area was liable to flooding in earlier times. This may explain the lack of evidence for medieval settlement in this area. The only evidence for human activity was of a relatively modern nature. The presence of numerous land drains indicates that the land was reclaimed, and a date in the 18th/19th century is considered likely for these works. The prominent platform in the southwest corner of the site was shown to be a natural elevation, which was landscaped in the 18th/19th century to improve the views from Athenry House. Evidence for the existence of an open-air smithy, of early to mid-20th-century date, was also found. This phase of testing forms part of an ongoing assessment of the site. It is proposed to carry out further testing on the west side of the river in 2004.

Unit 3, Howley Court, Oranmore, Co. Galway