2003:1208 - LISNAMUCK, Longford

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Longford Site name: LISNAMUCK

Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 14:5 Licence number: 03E1194; 03E1369

Author: Christopher Read, North West Archaeological Services Ltd.

Site type: Pit

Period/Dating: Undetermined

ITM: E 614704m, N 776358m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.736668, -7.777134

The proposed development site consists of a twenty-acre field south-east of Longford town. The proposed development will incorporate a large pharmaceutical plant, parking, access and related services. The nearest known archaeological site, a ringfort, is situated over 100m to the south-east. Monitoring of excavation works was carried out between 11 and 18 August. A number of archaeological features were revealed during topsoil-stripping. Two small features were excavated by the author, with the remaining archaeology, including three possible fulachta fiadh, excavated by Ros Ó Maoldúin (Nos 1209-10, Excavations 2003). The vast majority of the site was clear of archaeology.

F2 consisted of a spread of charcoal-enriched soil, measuring 2.6m by 1.7m. This spread was 0.05-0.09m deep and yielded frequent flecks of charcoal and a single sherd of late post-medieval pottery. This spread concealed a small pit measuring 0.65m by 0.4m. This pit was 0.35m deep and filled with a dark-grey to black friable silt with some burnt sandstone. The sides were fairly straight and the bottom flat. F3 consisted of a subcircular pit, 0.8m in diameter and with a depth of 0.05-0.12m. The sides sloped gently and the base was rounded. It was filled with a dark-brown to black charcoal-enriched clay with burnt sandstone. No datable evidence was retrieved from this feature.

Cloonfad Cottage, Cloonfad, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim