County: Westmeath Site name: Creggan Lower 2
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A016/031; E2659
Author: Ed Lyne, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Site type: Burnt mound
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 607537m, N 740460m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.414217, -7.886624
Testing was carried out as part of an archaeological mitigation programme associated with the N6 Kilbeggan to Athlone dual carriageway. The site was identified during testing undertaken by Patricia Lynch in August 2005 (A016/029). The site was excavated in January 2006. Two excavation areas measuring 22m by 20m and 4m by 10m were opened.
Area A comprised the southern extremities of a burnt mound/burnt spread; the remainder of the site was situated to the north and therefore outside the CPO. The burnt mound consisted of a number of relatively shallow spreads of burnt stone and charcoal-rich soil which sealed two pits and two probable stake-holes. It would appear that the main archaeological deposits at this site might remain in situ outside the limits of excavation. Furthermore, excavating only the edge of the site meant that what appeared as four separate spreads might in reality all have been part of one larger spread, the majority of which fell outside of the CPO.
In Area B, c. 200m east of Area A, a second burnt spread probably represents an episode of scrub burning/field clearance rather than a distinct archaeological deposit. Therefore Area B was deemed of no archaeological significance. One possibly worked chert flake was recovered at site Creggan Lower 2.
This work was funded by Westmeath County Council and the National Roads Authority.
Editor’s note: Although excavated during 2006, the report on this site arrived too late for inclusion in the bulletin of that year.
