2014:583 - DRUMQUIN: Thornog Wind Farm, Tyrone

An archaeological evaluation was carried out prior to the proposed construction of an 8-turbine wind farm at Thornog, Drumquin, Co Tyrone. FER 135:020, identified as a crannog on the SMR, is located in Lough a Vigh, which is at the centre of the proposed wind farm.

The initial enabling works for the wind farm took place in 2012 under licence no. AE/12/137. These works consisted of a bell-mouth site entrance and an access road from the entrance to a sub-station. The foundations of the sub-station were also constructed in this phase of the development and these were also monitored. No archaeological remains were identified during this initial phase of works.

This phase of the evaluation entailed the construction of 8 wind turbines with associated hard standings and access roads. All ground works associated with the turbine bases, hard stands, site roads and borrow pit were monitored. Within part of Thornog wind farm, in particular in the vicinity of T1, T2, T3 and T4, there had been extensive peat cutting in the past that had left only a minimal covering of bog with a typical depth of 0.3-0.4m.

No archaeological deposits were identified during the course of the evaluation.