County: Westmeath Site name: Fore
Sites and Monuments Record No.: WM004-35010 Licence number: C521; W133; E4421
Author: Jacinta Kiely
Site type: RELIGIOUS HOUSE
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 651053m, N 770746m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.683942, -7.227161
The first phase of work at Fore, Co Westmeath comprised an assessment of the proposed improvement works at Fore on behalf of Fore Heritage and Amenity Group. Subsequently ministerial consent was granted for these works to the public amenity area at Fore.
Monitoring of ground disturbance works associated with the erection of new roadside gates at the tree-lined rear entrance to Fore Abbey was undertaken in September and October 2013 on Office of Public Works (OPW) managed lands for the OPW. The public access forms part of a new walkway, c. 3km in length, which includes the abbey and the motte and bailey (WM004-035014-) to the east. All ground disturbance works associated with the construction of the new gate complex was monitored. A total of 10 foundation pads were excavated by machine. Four were located on the north side of the causeway, four on the south side and two pads within the causeway. They were on average 0.7m in diameter by 0.5m in depth. A possible metalled surface was recorded in two of the pads (1 and 2). No artefacts were recovered from any of the foundation pads. A foundation trench (12m north-south by 1m deep) was excavated along the existing ditch line, parallel to the third class road. Two cut stone fragments, an incomplete rotary quern stone and a possible fragment of a jamb stone were recovered from a disturbed layer in the wall foundation trench. The cut stone fragments were taken by the OPW for storage at their depot in Trim.
Eachtra Archaeological Projects, Lickybeg, Clashmore, Co Waterford.
