County: Donegal Site name: Sheep Lane, Raphoe
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DG070–003 Licence number: 07E0187
Author: Maurice F. Hurley, 6 Clarence Court, St Luke’s Cork.
Site type: Post-medieval
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 625817m, N 903003m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.874170, -7.597753
A proposed development site at Sheep Lane, Raphoe, is situated directly opposite St Eunan’s Cathedral, the Church of Ireland cathedral church of the Diocese of Raphoe, This area is within the urban zone of archaeological potential. The eastern area of the site comprised the site of a house, ‘Shanagard’, which was demolished in January 2003. ‘Shanagard’ was originally a farmhouse associated with the demesne of the Bishop’s Palace. The western area of the site comprised the former yard and outbuildings of Raphoe Hardware and Grain Stores.
Testing of the eastern area of the site revealed truncated pits, wooden stakes (foundation supports), drains and foundations of some of the demolished house. The old ground level had been scarped back to the natural boulder clay on this part of the site. Testing of the western area of the site revealed former yards/gardens, within which were a series of pits containing 18th- and 19th-century refuse. The testing produced no evidence of any material of archaeological significance.
