2006:1672 - Drummond Otra, Monaghan

Test excavation was undertaken in advance of the proposed development at Drummond Otra, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan. The site is located immediately south-west of Lisanisk Lake, which is the site of two crannogs (MO031–037 and 038).
The proposed development is to consist of a mixed residential development with car parking, landscaping and a children’s play area. The site is c. 6.75ha. The development location is within the area of archaeological potential for Carrickmacross.
Nineteen test-trenches were excavated on August 2006. They covered c. 1920 linear metres, or 3840m2. A small number of archaeological features were recorded. Post-medieval and modern pottery was recovered, of which most was located near the top of the hill.
A relatively small number of features which are believed to be post-medieval or later were recorded. Trench 2 contained a spread of charcoal and burnt material (1.46m long, 0.95m wide and 0.16m thick) located below topsoil. In Trench 5, a single post-hole was exposed below subsoil (0.36m long, 0.32m wide and 0.07m deep). Trench 11 contained a subcircular pit (1.45m long, 1.32m wide and 0.2m deep) that contained dark-brown/black sandy clay with frequent charcoal and sand, occasional pebbles, stones and roots. This was exposed below topsoil and was truncated by a square-shaped post-hole. Trench 12 contained a subcircular deposit (0.8m long, 0.5m wide and 0.2m thick) of dark-brown silty clay with charcoal and stone inclusions, exposed below subsoil. This probably filled a stone socket or a natural depression in the ground. Trench 12 also contained a subcircular post-hole (0.56m long, 0.54m wide and 0.23m deep), exposed below subsoil. Trench 17 contained two linear north-east/south-west-oriented plough furrows (1.8m long, 0.15m wide, 0.03m deep and 2.7m long, 0.15m wide and 0.04m deep respectively). Furthermore, a north-north-west/south-south-east-oriented stone-built field drain (minimum 110m long, 1.5m wide and unknown depth) was identified in Trenches 8 and 10–17, and this is likely to extend across the whole site. No artefacts were recorded from any of the features; all were found within the topsoil layers.
The archaeological potential for this site was considered to be fairly high, but the sparse remains of archaeological features identified may be explained by the fact that part of the site consisted of a steep slope that was not suitable for major activity. Although the top of the hill was fairly flat, this area had suffered extensive agricultural impact and any archaeological features may not have survived.