County: Mayo Site name: TURLOUGH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: MA070-142 Licence number: 05E0543
Author: Richard Crumlish
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 520286m, N 793424m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.884107, -9.212476
Pre-development testing was carried out on 18 May 2005 at a site in advance of its development at Turlough, Co. Mayo. The proposed development was located within the constraint area for a ringfort site. The monument, which was the subject of a preservation order, was barely perceptible in an adjacent site to the north, within the same field. The proposed development consisted of the construction of a dwelling with garage, septic tank and percolation area. The site had been partially filled with builders’ rubble in recent years. The ecclesiastical site at Turlough (SMR 70:144) with its handsome round tower was visible through the trees, a short distance to the south-south-west.
Four trenches were excavated to best cover the area of the proposed development. These measured 50.3m, 23.7m, 28.8m and 30.5m long, 1.1–1.7m wide and 0.3–1.3m deep. Below the topsoil and rubble fill (which consisted of hardcore, concrete blocks and other builders’ rubble and which contained modern materials such as plastic) were sterile natural subsoils (orange/brown friable silt loam, orange/brown firm clay, grey friable sandy silt loam and grey loose sandy loam). The testing revealed nothing of archaeological significance.
4 Lecka Grove, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo
