2010:343 - Gort town and environs, Galway

A programme of testing and monitoring was carried out between September 2009 and February 2010 by way of archaeological mitigation of the Bord Gáis networks feeder and distribution mains project in Gort town and environs, Co. Galway. A disarticulated skeleton, two wall features, modern road-building features and possible late medieval domestic deposits were found. The results of monitoring for the most part confirmed the history of the development of Gort town as largely modern. However, the presence of possible late medieval deposits on Queen Street in the vicinity of GA122–006 does indicate an earlier presence in the south of the town. Skeletal remains discovered on Glenbrack Road consisted of cranial, mandible and humerus fragments but were too disturbed to offer a secure context. However, the fact that they came from a townland boundary and what appeared to be ditch fill does give weight to the notion of an ad hoc inhumation.
On the north side of the bridge under the footpath two stone-built features were uncovered. The first appeared in line with the present bridge and was either the line of an earlier wall or the original footing of the existing curving wall to the south. The feature was left in situ. The second feature was a substantial north–south-oriented wall composed of ashlar blocks bonded with mortar. The feature could be traced for 3m until it went under the road carriage on the bridge. These features were found in association with a dark humic fill which included oyster shell in mid-brown/grey silt. It was recommended that future developments in the vicinity of Glenbrack Road and Queen Street should be archaeologically mitigated.