County: Westmeath Site name: HEATHSTOWN/BANAGHER
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 27:32 Licence number: 04E0003
Author: Declan Moore, Moore Archaeological & Environmental Services Ltd (Moore Group), Corporate House, Ballybrit Business Park, Ballybrit, Galway.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 653451m, N 747975m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.479093, -7.194750
Monitoring, geophysical detecting and testing were carried out at Heathstown/Banagher, Co. Westmeath, between 2 and 13 February 2004. The project involves the development of sand and gravel extraction works with associated portacabins, septic tank, percolation area, site entrance and access road in an area measuring 10.77 acres and near an earthwork site. There is no visible trace of the monument on the surface.
The assessment carried out by Valerie J. Keeley and Co. in 2001 recommended avoidance of the area of potential around the monument by establishing a 30m 'buffer zone'. Monitoring was also recommended for any ground disturbance in the vicinity of the monument. A subsequent assessment carried out by Frank Coyne specified that a possible cill’n may be located within the proposed quarry area, on the western side of Knocksimon Hill.
At the request of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government an archaeogeophysical investigation was carried out by Earthsound Ltd. in the area of the cill’n. The survey, carried out on 10 February 2004, concentrated on an area of the possible site measuring roughly 60m east-west by 30m.
Subsequent testing was carried out here to investigate an anomaly that was recorded during the geophysical testing. It was established that this anomaly was a field drainage feature.
Monitoring of the remainder of the site revealed nothing of archaeological significance.
