County: Roscommon Site name: Cootehall
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 06E0286
Author: Christopher Read, North West Archaeological Services, Cloonfad Cottage, Cloonfad, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 589636m, N 803889m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.984169, -8.158007
The site of the proposed development is located in the townland of Cootehall, situated within the later medieval village of the same name, Co. Roscommon. The development site is situated east of the bridge crossing the River Boyle and fronts on to the west side of the main road through Cootehall village, directly opposite the original ‘fair green’. The proposed development is to consist of 32 houses and related services. The closest monuments to the site include RO007–015 (castle), situated 150m to the north-west, and RO007–024 (megalithic structure unclassified), situated 150m to the south of the development site.
Eight test-trenches were excavated by machine to the level of undisturbed natural. Originally seven trenches were proposed, but Trenches 1–6 could not be fully excavated to their total length due to a sharp drop in ground level at the eastern end of the site. Thus, it was decided to shorten Trenches 1–6 and excavate an additional trench across the eastern end of the site to fully assess the site. In addition, the site was divided into three field plots subdivided by drystone walls, which were avoided during testing. No evidence of archaeological activity was revealed in any of the trenches.
