County: Sligo Site name: GRANGE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SL005–033 Licence number: 06E0937
Author: Richard Crumlish
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 566448m, N 850278m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.400000, -8.516700
Pre-development testing was carried out on 25–28 September 2006 at a site at Newgrange, Grange, Co. Sligo. The proposed development, which consisted of the construction of 45 dwellings with associated site works and connection into the public sewer, was partially located within the archaeological constraint for a deserted settlement, which included a field system, a possible hut site, a possible enclosure and a possible kiln. None of the features listed above were visible within the proposed development site, the majority of which had been backfilled to a depth of 1–2m in recent times.
The testing consisted of the excavation (by machine) of nine trenches, which measured 83.3m, 71.7m, 77.8m, 108.2m, 78.5m, 29.7m, 25m, 80.3m and 60m long respectively, 1.3–3.2m wide and 0.2–2.6m deep. Below the topsoil and fill was orange/brown friable sandy silt loam, loose orange and grey/brown sand and gravel, grey friable sandy loam, grey/brown plastic sandy clay loam, grey/brown firm sandy silt loam, grey plastic sandy clay, dark-grey plastic silty clay, orange/brown friable silt loam, orange/grey/brown plastic clay and grey loose loamy sand. The topsoil and fill contained modern artefacts (20th-century in date) and land drains crossed two of the trenches.
The pre-development testing revealed evidence of a recently backfilled site, below which was mostly natural undisturbed stratigraphy—i.e. topsoil above sterile natural subsoils. Nothing of archaeological significance was uncovered.
4 Lecka Grove, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo
