County: Westmeath Site name: PETITSWOOD, MULLINGAR
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E0836
Author: Mary Henry, Mary Henry Archaeological Services Ltd, 17 Staunton Row, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.
Site type: Souterrain
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 644931m, N 752803m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.523276, -7.322408
During a housing development at Petitswood, Mullingar, in 2000, a souterrain was discovered. A survey undertaken by CRDS Ltd confirmed the presence of a two-chambered souterrain with connecting passage measuring c. 13.5m by 3.3m. Unfortunately, the monument was damaged during initial discovery.
Excavation of the monument took place in July 2004. Comprising two chambers, the eastern chamber was roughly circular and measured 2.5m in diameter by 2.5m high inside. To the east, the chamber had previously been damaged by machine on its western face and measured 2.1m east-west by 1.3m by 1.72m high. Connecting the two chambers was an east-westaligned passageway measuring 10.5m by 0.9m high, which extended under the eastern chamber.
Both chambers were constructed with rough coursed limestone and coated with two distinct redeposited clays applied in a spiral pattern.
Whereas the eastern chamber comprised a flat top built around a keystone, the western chamber was of beehive construction. The passageway consisted of rough coursed limestone with capping stones along its length and an entrance at a midway point along its northern side. An elevated trapdoor discovered situated in the western chamber was probably evidence of a distinct floor above the passageway. Unfortunately the previous machine damage had destroyed most of this area.
No artefacts were discovered, apart from a few animal bones.
