County: Donegal Site name: Magherabeg
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DG038–023 Licence number: 07E0332
Author: Richard Crumlish, 4 Lecka Grove, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 634950m, N 925101m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 55.072148, -7.452766
Pre-development testing was carried out on 4 May 2007 at a site in advance of a planning application for the erection of a cow house, milking parlour, manure separator and associated works at Magherabeg, Fahan, Co. Donegal. The site was located within the archaeological constraint for the site of a castle. The monument was supposedly located in a field close to Castletown Cottage, a short distance north of the proposed development. During works in the 1940s to extend ‘Castletown’, the dwelling adjacent to the west of the proposed development, a vault or arches were discovered adjoining the north wall of the dwelling. When these were knocked down, the head of a single-light ogee-headed window was found among the rubble. This architectural fragment as well as a bullaun stone (DG038–024) were both visible in the adjacent farmyard.
Testing consisted of the excavation of five trenches, which measured 13.9m, 20.9m, 29.2m, 13.7m and 25.4m long respectively, 0.85–1.3m wide and 0.35–0.8m deep. Below the topsoil were firm grey clay, grey/orange plastic clay and grey/orange loose loamy sand. The topsoil contained modern pottery sherds. A modern water service and a number of ceramic land drains were visible in the trenches.
The testing revealed natural undisturbed stratigraphy and nothing of archaeological significance.
