County: Mayo Site name: Newtown
Sites and Monuments Record No.: MA090–112 Licence number: 10E0316
Author: Richard Crumlish, 4 Lecka Grove, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 517412m, N 779846m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.761672, -9.252528
Pre-development testing was carried out on 10 August 2010 on a site at Newtown townland, Clogher, Claremorris, Co. Mayo. The proposed development consisted of the construction of a single dwelling, domestic garage, septic tank, percolation area and all ancillary site works. Testing was required as a possible enclosure (MA090–112) was located adjacent to the western site boundary. The possible enclosure was included in the RMP based on its depiction on the third edition of the OS 6-inch map and on an aerial photograph. It was not marked on the first edition (1838) of the OS 6-inch map. The monument consisted of a subcircular area, enclosed by a modern field (drystone) wall.
The proposed development site was located in a large pasture field which sloped down from south to north. There were no archaeological features visible within the site. Testing consisted of the excavation (by machine) of six trenches located to best cover the development area while also investigating that area of the development site nearest the possible enclosure. The trenches measured 45m, 13m, 10m, 24.7m, 30.7m and 38.7m long respectively, 0.9–1.2m wide and 0.25–0.8m deep.
Below the topsoil was orange/grey/brown firm clay loam, grey plastic boulder clay and orange/grey/brown plastic clay (natural subsoils). The topsoil contained one small modern pottery sherd. A small animal burial, possibly a dog or a sheep, was found in one of the trenches. An un-inscribed clay-pipe stem fragment, of 19th/early 20th-century type, was found with the burial. Testing revealed nothing of archaeological significance.
