County: Roscommon Site name: Taduff West
Sites and Monuments Record No.: - Licence number: A034, E2828
Author: Bruce Sutton, for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd, Brehon House, Kilkenny Road, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny.
Site type: Early modern vernacular building and associated features
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 597765m, N 739377m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.404536, -8.033605
Archaeological assessment on the proposed route of the N6 Ballinasloe to Athlone road scheme involved targeted test excavation of selected areas lying within the proposed road-take. Work was commissioned by Galway County Council and the National Roads Design Office and sponsored by the National Roads Authority.
Testing here involved the insertion of six hand-excavated test-trenches (6m2) across the remains of a ruined structure and its immediate environs. Six test-pits, 1m by 1m in size, were excavated at specific points within and around the structures to identify any remaining archaeological surfaces and/or diagnostic finds: Test-pit 1 to examine the possible pathway, Test-pit 2 the interior surfaces of the house, Test-pit 3 the possible yard, with Test-pits 4–6 located in and around the house.
The only diagnostic find made during testing was an early modern red brick from Test-pit 2. This structure, a house, is visible on the 1915 edition of the 6-inch OS maps as an isolated building apparently unserviced by any trackway but less than 100m from the nearest serviced structure to the east. This would indicate that the house had fallen out of use by 1915.
