2006:716 - Callagheen Wind Farm, Fermanagh

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Fermanagh Site name: Callagheen Wind Farm

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/05/31; AE/05/122

Author: Tony Kensall and Martin Keery, Gahan & Long Ltd, 7–9 Castlereagh Street, Belfast, BT5 4NE.

Site type: Limited areas of burning and timber post

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 618645m, N 855908m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.451352, -7.712502

Monitoring of the thirteen turbines at Callagheen Wind Farm, Garrison, was conducted between 23 May and 14 October 2005. The wind farm was located in an area of upland peat bog, the depth of which varied greatly, from 0.4 to 3m. This overlaid an old ground surface of light-brown silty clay mixed with very occasional charcoal flecking and frequent inclusions of small to medium-sized stones. At three locations, within this surface, shallow charcoal-rich spreads were uncovered, which were roughly circular in plan with a maximum diameter of 1.9m. While no artefacts were recovered from these spreads, they can be tentatively dated to the prehistoric period, as they were found on an old ground surface beneath the peat bog and thus were in existence prior to the encroachment of upland bog.
In addition, a large piece of worked timber, identified as beech, was unearthed. This large, roughly linear-shaped timber had a length of 3.7m with a maximum width of 0.3m, tapering to a fine point of 0.02m. At the opposite end of the timber, 0.55m from its terminal, there was a knotted section of wood which jutted out at a right angle. This length of wood was roughly rectangular in shape, with a jagged edge and a maximum length of 0.4m. There was a suggestion that the join between the main timber and branch had been carved slightly to receive a beam or plank. Otherwise at this end of the timber there was no indication of woodworking; it was simply rough, much knotted, naturally formed wood. Further down the timber, it had clearly been tapered at a distance of around 1.3m from its tip. There were obvious toolmarks along the tip of the post, which had been heavily altered.
It is difficult to establish a date or function for this large timber post, primarily as it was not found in situ. The timber was unearthed in a horizontal position, with no associated artefacts or other pieces of worked timber/wood. As such it is highly likely that the post was not in its original location. Due to its shape, this was probably a post driven into the ground. Also, due to its size and the right-angled ‘off-shoot’, it may have been load-bearing. This implies that it was part of a structure. It may have been part of a building or used to support a trackway or pier, which is more likely given the nature of the surrounding area of upland peat bog.

Editor’s note: Although this licence was issued during 2005, the report on the work was not received in time for inclusion in the bulletin of that year.