County: Westmeath Site name: CASTLE STREET/MAIN STREET/THE QUAYS, ATHLONE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: WM029–042 Licence number: C311
Author: Martin E. Byrne, Byrne Mullins & Associates, 7 Cnoc na Greine Square, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare.
Site type: Urban
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 603797m, N 741430m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.422973, -7.942872
Monitoring of ground-reduction works associated with the Athlone westside street enhancement project was undertaken, on a phased basis, from 8 September to 3 November. The works are located within the zone of archaeological potential established for the town and adjacent the southern curtain walls of Athlone Castle. Monitoring of geotechnical slit-trench excavations was undertaken by Tara O’Neill Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd, in February 2009, but nothing of archaeological interest was uncovered.
All ground-reduction works associated with Phase 1 of the development, extending from the junction of Castle Street and Main Street to The Quays, were monitored. Such works included removal of existing street, carpark and footpath surfaces, diversion of services and construction of a new surface water sewer. No subsurface features of archaeological interest were uncovered, although a number of sherds of pottery, of medieval and post-medieval date, were recovered. It is expected that works associated with Phase 2 of the project will be undertaken during 2010.
