County: Galway Site name: BALLYNACLOUGH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A024/3.14
Author: Aisling Collins, CRDS Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 573581m, N 726236m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.285785, -8.396192
Assessment on the proposed route of the N6 Galway–Ballinasloe road scheme (Contract 3) involved targeted test excavation of selected areas. The work was commissioned by Galway County Council National Roads Design Office and sponsored by the National Roads Authority.
A ringfort, SMR 86:53, lies immediately north of the proposed road-take in Ballynaclough and a further seven monuments lie within 1km of the subject area. Within this townland, geophysical survey along the road-take identified the presence of potentially significant features, including a linear ditch extending over c. 30m and oriented east–west. The proximity of the ringfort to the road corridor and the findings of the geophysical survey resulted in this part of the road-take being subject to targeted investigation.
All testing was carried out using a mechanical excavator fitted with a 2m-wide toothless bucket and all trenches were excavated to the top of any features of potential significance or to the natural substrate, whichever was encountered first. Assessment incorporated the area subject to geophysical survey, 260m2, with eighteen trenches opened. Centre-line, offset and targeted trenching confirmed the presence of the ditch identified in geophysical survey. The ditch represents a relatively recent land drain and is not archaeologically significant. A series of north–south-oriented furrows were revealed, all of which were related to modern agricultural activity. Three field boundaries and one burnt spread were also identified but none was of archaeological significance.
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