County: Westmeath Site name: Magazine Road, Athlone
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 06E1015
Author: Martin E. Byrne, Byrne Mullins and Associates, 7 Cnoc na Gréine Square, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 603268m, N 741622m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.424705, -7.950823
Testing took place with respect to a mixed-use development located on Magazine Road, Athlone. The site is located within the zone of archaeological potential established for Athlone (WM029–042), but there are no previously identified monuments located within, or in the immediate environs of it. The western boundary of the site is formed by the remains of a canal, originally constructed in 1757 and repaired in 1804–10. The canal was largely abandoned after 1849 and is now derelict and partially filled in. Research indicates that Magazine Road may date to the early 19th century and there is no evidence for settlement in this area of the town until the late 18th century.
The site was originally low-lying and the surface was raised by up to 5m of fill in the mid-20th century. Following removal of this fill, a total of five trenches were excavated through the original ground surface. Nothing of archaeological interest was uncovered during the course of testing.
