County: Tyrone Site name: Omagh Memorial Garden, Drumragh Avenue, Omagh
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/08/37
Author: Christopher J. Farrimond, FarrimondMacManus Ltd, 150 Elmvale, Culmore, Derry, BT48 8SL.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 645302m, N 872794m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.601387, -7.298878
Monitoring was undertaken at the site on 25–29 January 2008. The proposed development is to consist of the construction of a memorial garden and associated siteworks on the site of the existing temporary memorial garden at Drumragh Avenue, Omagh.
Prior to the commencement of monitoring, the site consisted of an area roughly triangular in shape and measuring c. 68m (north–south) by 56m, bounded by Drumragh Avenue to the south-west, a concrete pathway along the Camowen River to the east and by car parking associated with Local Government offices (County Hall) to the north. The site primarily consisted of a flat portion of land under grass, with the temporary memorial garden comprising a formalised raised feature within its southern portion.
Monitoring revealed evidence of considerable ground disturbance within the boundaries of the proposed development site within the relatively recent past. In particular, modern overburden deposits containing portions of tarmac, concrete pavers and concrete overspill were revealed throughout much of the central and southern portion of the proposed development area. Removal of these deposits revealed undisturbed natural subsoil at a depth of c. 0.3m below the existing ground surface within the area of proposed tree planting, which covers the northern part of the site, gradually increasing to a depth of c. 1.2m near the southern limit of the site.
Consultation with representatives of Omagh District Council revealed that the area was used as a site compound and storage area during the construction of Strule Bridge in 1966. The iden-tification of the overburden deposits mentioned above seems to support this and it is therefore likely that these deposits are associated with construction works connected with the construction of the bridge and the walkway which runs along its western bank and represent an attempt to create a level surface in an area where the original natural topography sloped down towards the Carnowen River.
No archaeological deposits were identified or artefact material recovered in addition to the deposits described above.
