2011:610 - HIGGINSTOWN (FARTULLAGH BY) AND WALTERSTOWN, Westmeath

Test-trenching was carried out on 4–12 April 2011 in a previously forested area of peatland, designated as Area 16, in the townlands of Higginstown (Fartullagh By) and Walterstown, on the proposed route of the N52 Carrickbridge to Clonfad Road Improvement Scheme. Twenty-five continuous and collinear test trenches were machine-excavated under supervision. A total of 2,985 linear metres of test-trenching was conducted, investigating an area measuring 7% of the land-take for the road scheme in Area 16. The stratigraphy can be generally characterised as 0.1–3m of well-humified raised bog peat containing the remains of alder carr and oak woodland, overlying grey stony clay with occasional small boulders.

No sites of archaeological significance were discovered during the course of the works and no stray artefacts were recovered.