County: Roscommon Site name: Gortanure
Sites and Monuments Record No.: RO008c–004(01) Licence number: A020/046, E3354
Author: Agnes Kerrigan, for Mayo County Council, Drummin, Westport, Co. Mayo.
Site type: Enclosure and children’s burial-ground
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 555695m, N 799184m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.940091, -8.674776
Testing was undertaken in this area on 1–2 September 2005 to ascertain its archaeological potential as specified by the EIS. The monument is located c. 3m outside the northern CPO line. An area measuring 50m east–west by 20m was tested using a 360° tracked machine with a 2m-wide toothless bucket. It was at an altitude of 119m OD. The area tested lay directly to the south of the monument inside the road-take. It was excavated to the depth of the natural subsoil. A shallow circular pit was identified which extended to the north beyond the limit of the CPO line. The exposed part of the feature was 1.5m east–west by 1.3m. It had a charcoal-rich upper fill and evidence for oxidisation due to burning along the southern edge. The pit was investigated and contained large quantities of charcoal and several fills. There was also evidence of in situ burning at the base. The area of the pit within the CPO line was fully excavated. No other features of archaeological significance were noted in the tested area.
