County: Galway Site name: Chapel Lane, Tuam
Sites and Monuments Record No.: GA029–199 Licence number: 06E1069
Author: Richard Crumlish, 4 Lecka Grove, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 543449m, N 752073m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.515596, -8.852668
Pre-development testing was carried out on 13 and 14 November 2006 at a site at Chapel Lane, Tuam, Co. Galway. The proposed development, the construction of a mixed-use building with basement car parking, shop unit, off-licence, public house, office floor space and storage, was located within the archaeological constraint for Tuam town.
The testing consisted of the excavation (by machine) of five trenches, which measured 16.8m, 12.2m, 13.2m and 14.5m (by 2) long respectively, 1.6–2m wide and 1.2–1.95m deep.
Below the concrete on the surface was tarmac and a layer of cobbles, above loose rubble fill, above topsoil, above sterile grey/cream/yellow plastic clay. The fill contained modern artefacts. The topsoil contained modern pottery sherds. A concrete wall and a red-brick feature uncovered were part of the buildings recently demolished on the site. Two rubble and red-brick culverts and a possible soakage pit uncovered also contained modern artefacts.
Local knowledge suggested the site was formerly home to a garage (a spark plug was found in the fill) and a furniture-manufacturing firm. Nothing of archaeological significance was uncovered.
