County: Galway Site name: NEWCASTLE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: GA087-196 Licence number: 03E1735
Author: Jerry O’Sullivan, National Roads Design Office
Site type: Ringfort - rath
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 575291m, N 726903m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.291855, -8.370608
The earthwork at Newcastle is right beside the proposed N6 Galway to Ballinasloe road scheme. It consists of a small, slightly elevated, D-shaped enclosure separated from an adjacent small platform by a narrow ditch. These elements in turn are surrounded by a low bank and ditch, enclosing an area of about 50m in diameter.
Three test-trenches were dug by hand within the enclosure. A compact pavement of small gravel, with occasional charcoal, burnt or reddened soil, mollusc shells and animal bone fragments, was uncovered both in the D-shaped enclosure and on the adjoining platform. The bank of the D-shaped enclosure was revetted by a low drystone wall at its inner face.
Five test-pits were dug by hand outside the enclosure along the nearest margin of the proposed road. Some burnt sediment and a fragment of animal bone were found in one of these. No archaeological sediments or features were found in the others.
Clearly the earthworks at Newcastle represent some sort of settlement site. The limited testing does not allow any estimate of date. The site seems too modest to be the ‘new castle’ of the townland name—and thus a lordly or defensive medieval site—but, as no other candidate is known in the townland, this interpretation remains a possibility. The site will be avoided by the route that has been selected for the scheme.
The assessment was conducted by Galway County Council and was funded by the National Roads Authority under the aegis of the National Development Plan 2002–2006.
Galway County Council
