County: Mayo Site name: BALLINTEMPLE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: MA061–125 Licence number: 09E0020
Author: Richard Crumlish, 4 Lecka Grove, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 532738m, N 800762m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.951803, -9.024721
Pre-development testing of a site at Ballintemple townland, Meelick, Swinford, Co. Mayo, was carried out on 28 and 29 January 2009. The proposed development consisted of the construction of a dwelling-house, septic tank treatment unit and percolation area, together with all ancillary site works. The proposed development was located within the constraint for ecclesiastical remains. The monument consists of a church (in ruins) and graveyard. The east gable of the church was part of the western boundary of the field of pasture within which the proposed development was located. The graveyard was located to the west of the church. The first edition of the OS 6-inch sheet showed a corn kiln located north of the church along the western boundary of the field in which the proposed development was located. The proposed development had established a 20m buffer zone around the church. No archaeological features were visible within the proposed development site.
The testing consisted of the excavation (by machine) of nine trenches located to best cover the area of the site, particularly that closest to the church. The trenches measured 19.9m, 10.2m, 9.9m, 9.4m, 10.2m, 50.4m, 11.3m, 10.7m and 20.6m long respectively, 0.9–1.3m wide and 0.25–1m deep. Below the topsoil was orange/grey/brown friable sandy silt loam, orange/grey/brown plastic sandy clay and orange/grey/brown loose sand. The topsoil contained two sherds of modern pottery, one modern glass fragment and bits of plastic.
The testing revealed natural undisturbed stratigraphy. Nothing of archaeological significance was revealed.
