2010:316 - Annagh Hill 3, Galway

Excavation was carried out at Annagh Hill 3, Co. Galway, in advance of the M17 Galway (Rathmorrissy) to Tuam Archaeological Services Contract (2010) forming part of the N17/N18 Gort to Tuam PPP scheme in County Galway. The Archaeological Services Contract (2010) was commissioned by Galway County Council and funded by the National Roads Authority. Full excavation was undertaken at the site in June 2010.
A sequence of features (mainly characterised by floor surfaces, structural foundations, wall remains, a pit and a kiln) was identified within four areas of activity (Areas 1–4). Initial indications are that these features date to the post-medieval period.
The earliest phase of activity identified on the site is represented by the construction of a stone-built structure. The evidence of this was in the form of partial remains of the corner of a structure, or enclosing wall, within Area 2. The wall consisted of irregular limestone facing stones, with a rubble and mortar core. Traces of a mortar floor surface were identified up against the inner face of the wall, suggesting that the walls represented a structure rather than an enclosing wall where the interior would have been open to the elements.
The Phase II activity is represented by the partial remains of a floor surface, robbed-out wall/rubble layer and possible hearth, probably representing the remains of a structure which may have had a north-west/south-east orientation. The floor surface was made up of two layers of limestone mortar which partially covered a wall associated with the Phase I activity. The rubble layer may have represented a robbed-out interior wall associated with a hearth and floor surfaces. The possible hearth consisted of three components; a line of five irregular kerb stones and a line of six terracotta tiles which ran parallel and abutted the line of kerb stones set into a mortared floor surface. The surface was cut through by the foundation trench for a robbed-out wall most likely a continuation of the east–west-running wall identified in Area 1.
Phase III consisted of the partial remains of a large structure. The structure was made up of four stone-built wall sections. Two of these sections were orientated east–west and formed part of the northern side of the structure. A third wall section was located to the south of and perpendicular to the east–west wall sections, extending north–south. Abutting the western end of the east–west wall section, another wall continued in a northern direction, forming a corner. All of the walls within Area 1 were constructed with both an inner and an outer face of cut and dressed limestone blocks and a rubble and mortar core. Within the area contained by the east–west and the north–south wall sections there were the remains of a cobbled surface which indicated the interior of the structure. Partial traces of another wall could be discerned within the rubble layer in the north-western part of Area 2. This wall consisted of a line of six blocks of limestone with mortar concentrations, running east–west. To the immediate west of this wall were the partial remains of a cobbled surface.
The overall layout of the structure probably consisted of a large rectangular main building comprising the east–west wall sections and the robbed-out foundation trench which extended east–west through Areas 1 and 2. The remaining walls may have formed a rectangular-shaped extension to the north of the main structure.
Other activity was identified within Areas 3 and 4, which, due to being stratigraphically unrelated to those features identified with Areas 1 and 2, could not be placed within the overall phasing of the site. A medium-sized, oblong-shaped, earth-cut kiln containing one fill of mid-brown/grey silty clay with large stones, occasional burnt limestone and charcoal flecks and very occasional brick fragments was identified within Area 3. To the immediate south-east of the kiln was a small shallow natural depression which contained a spread of refuse material. This refuse spread consisted of moderately compact dark black silty clay with many burnt bone fragments. A small sub-square-shaped pit was identified within Area 4. This contained a basal fill of moderate to hard grey/brown clayey sand with small amounts of sub-angular and angular stones, charcoal pieces and flecks and animal bone and an upper fill of a moderate to hard mid- to dark-brown silty sand with occasional angular and sub-angular stones and charcoal flecks. It is probable that the kiln, pit and spread were associated with the structural remains within Areas 1 and 2, though further assessment of the stratigraphy will be required to confirm this.