County: Leitrim Site name: MULLAGHNAMEELY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 25:92, 25:93(01–03) Licence number: 05E1402
Author: Christopher Read, North West Archaeological Services, Cloonfad Cottage, Cloonfad, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim.
Site type: Prehistoric ditched enclosure
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 610762m, N 808630m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.026762, -7.835734
The proposed development, to include the construction of five detached houses, access and related services, is on the outskirts of Fenagh village, Co. Leitrim. The eastern half of the site is relatively flat and is bounded by the road to the east. The western half of the site slopes steeply down to a small stream. Located on the far side of the stream are four megalithic tombs, including a portal tomb and three passage tombs. The proposed development site is in the middle of an extensive multi-period archaeological complex that also includes Fenagh Abbey, an Early Christian monastic enclosure and medieval churches, SMR 25:96, located to the south.
All excavation work was monitored in December 2005. The majority of the site appears to be clear of any archaeological features or finds. However, roughly in the centre of the site a 10.5m section of a curving cut feature was exposed cutting the natural and sealed by topsoil. Attempts were made to trace this feature and determine whether or not it was simply an arc or a portion of a fully circular feature. However, the western portion was revealed under a substantial deposit of redeposited natural clay up to 0.15m deep and effectively obscuring a large portion of the feature. Thus the feature could be more extensive and even fully circular, having an estimated diameter of c. 12m.
The feature is 0.4–0.7m wide and 0.25–0.35m deep. Three small sections, 0.25m wide, were excavated through the feature in an attempt to assess its depth and composition. The cut is relatively flat-bottomed, with the internal edge being steeper than the external edge. At least three separate fills have been identified. The upper is a grey/brown silty clay, 0.05–0.1m deep, the middle a darker grey/brown silty clay, 0.05–0.1m deep, and the lower a dark-grey to black silty clay, 0.08–0.11m deep, with some charcoal and one piece of struck flint. A large, non-diagnostic retouched flake of good-quality light-grey flint was discovered during topsoil-stripping in the immediate vicinity of the feature. The western portion of the feature is partially covered with a substantial deposit of very compact light-yellow/grey redeposited natural clay, up to 0.2m deep. This deposit effectively masks the full extent of the feature. It will be fully excavated early in 2006.
