2005:1387 - TEMPLENABREE, Sligo

Pre-development testing was carried out on 6 and 7 January 2005 at the site of a proposed dwelling house at Templenabree, Co. Sligo, located within the archaeological constraint for a church (SMR 20:6) and adjacent to a holy well (SMR 20:4) and a ringfort (SMR 20:5). Testing comprised the excavation (by machine) of four trenches, which measured 23.6m, 50.9m, 40.8m and 40.1m long respectively, 0.8–1.3m wide and 0.3–1.75m deep.
Below the topsoil in Trench A was grey plastic boulder clay and fill. Below the fill was bedrock, orange/brown friable sandy clay loam and grey plastic boulder clay. The fill consisted of topsoil and rubble and contained red-brick fragments, modern pottery and oyster shells. It was probably the result of the demolition of a building which once stood adjacent to the south of the site. The topsoil contained modern pottery sherds.
Below the topsoil in the remaining three trenches was grey plastic boulder clay and orange/brown sandy clay loam. The topsoil contained concentrations of shell (oysters, cockles, mussels and periwinkles) in places, occasional animal bone fragments, modern pottery sherds, modern glass fragments and a clay-pipe bowl. Modern pottery sherds and red-brick fragments were found within the shell concentrations.
The evidence revealed during testing was of modern activity only, probably associated with the building that once stood adjacent to the development site.