2008:1253 - Clonmore, Westmeath

An archaeological investigation was undertaken in September 2008 in advance of the construction of the Clonmore Link Road, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. A previous programme of investigation was carried out by Ken Curran (Valerie J. Keeley Ltd) in 2006.
Testing carried out at Chainage 550–1240 identified two layers of wood within a small hand-excavated test-trench following the results of palaeo-environmental and archaeological assessments of deep sediments, undertaken by Headland Archaeology Ltd, which identified fruitwood tree species from a sample core at a depth of c. 1m in the peat. It was thought this material may represent a natural accumulation of wood or have formed part of a wooden platform or trackway.
Two trenches were excavated by hand to identify the full nature and extent of the timbers. Three ‘layers’ of wood were identified in Trench 1. An upper layer of brushwood (Layer 1) lay over the main layer of branch wood (Layer 2), which in turn sealed the lowest layer of roots and branch wood (Layer 3).
At a depth of c. 0.8–1m below the present ground surface a layer of brush and branch wood (Layer 1) was identified. Much of this material appeared to be ex situ and was within a layer c. 50–200mm deep. Below this layer 28 substantial wooden timbers were identified (Layer 2), which were laid horizontally on the peat and appeared to be in situ, arranged in a perpendicular pattern. The timbers were from un-split branches, some with bark still attached, and were orientated east–west and north–south. Two vertical wooden elements were also identified, one of which has been positively identified as a peg for one of the horizontal timbers. Several of the timbers showed signs of toolmarks, with one showing signs of at least three individual cut marks. The lowest layer (Layer 3) consisted of substantial tree roots and, acting as a type of foundation, appeared to be the reason why this area was chosen to construct the trackway/platform. Post-excavation analysis is ongoing.