2014:058 - LISDUFF, Mayo

Pre-development testing was carried out on a site in Lisduff townland, County Mayo on 17 and 18 July 2014. The proposed development consisted of the construction of a dwelling house, proprietary effluent treatment system and septic tank. Testing was required due to the location being partly within the constraints for MA112-043 (ringfort) and MA112-044 (wedge tomb). The extant eastern portion of the bi-vallate ringfort extended 22m into the proposed development site. The remains of the wedge tomb were located just outside the eastern site boundary. A third monument, an enclosure (MA112-045), was located 18m to the east of the proposed development site. The site was located in a field of pasture with an early/mid 20th-century single-storey deserted dwelling located near its southern end.

Testing consisted of the excavation (by machine) of nine trenches located to best cover the proposed development area, especially that closest to the recorded monuments. The trenches measured 15.6m, 23.6m, 42m, 43m, 12.2m, 20.3m, 36m, 36.8m and 24.4m long respectively; 1.9m wide and 0.2-0.9m deep. Testing revealed natural undisturbed stratigraphy, i.e. topsoil above natural subsoils with two small areas of modern fill likely to be the remains of bases for a fence around the eastern side of the deserted dwelling. Nothing of archaeological significance was in evidence. None of the modern finds recovered from the topsoil, which were associated with the 20th-century occupation of the extant deserted dwelling, were retained.