2016:102 - N5 Ballaghaderreen Scramoge Road Development; AH04 Gortnacrannagh, Roscommon

Stage (i) Standard Archaeological Test Excavations were undertaken at Gortnacrannagh, Co. Roscommon in January‑February 2016 in order to provide further information as part of the Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed N5 Ballaghaderreen-Scramoge Road Project. Machine-assisted test excavations were undertaken in greenfield areas amounting to 1.972ha within the current proposed landtake for the proposed roadway. A total of 21 machine-assisted test-trenches (1289 linear m) were excavated within the site (c. 11.77% of the proposed LMA). Testing confirmed the presence of archaeological features, comprising 2 circular ditched enclosures, a field system and a pit in Gortnacrannagh townland, which were previously identified through a Lidar assessment and Geophysical Survey (15R0123).

Enclosure 1 was located towards the north-eastern end of AH04 at ITM 585377, 787387 (66m OD). It was a c. 20m wide ditch-cut circular enclosure. The ditch cut measured 1.2‑1.5m wide x 0.2‑0.3m deep. Two fragments of animal bone retrieved from the ditch returned a radiocarbon date (1266‑1058 BC) which indicates that this enclosure originated in the middle‑late Bronze Age.

Enclosure 2 was an oval ditched enclosure (52m x 42m) with possible internal pits and divisions. The enclosure ditch was flat-bottomed with dimensions of 1.9m wide x 0.26m deep. Some internal features were recorded. These were a 7‑8m wide ringditch and an associated linear ditch possibly representing an internal division within the main enclosure. A fragment of sheep clavicle was retrieved from the internal ringditch and returned a radiocarbon date of AD 554‑642.

A single pit and two linear features were recorded at ITM 585295, 786448 (66.33m OD). The pit (F35) comprised a sub-oval cut with dimensions of 1.7m east-west x 1.45m x 0.13m deep. It contained 2 fills. Charcoal (Pomoideae) retrieved from the upper fill was dated to AD 611‑670.  Both linear features were aligned north-east/south-west and extended beyond both sides of the trench. They probably comprise of cultivation furrows.

A series of 5 linear ditches (F43, F45, F47, F49, F51) with similar north-west/south-east alignments were towards the south-east of the testing area. Their dimensions ranged from 0.8‑1.2m wide x 0.18‑0.27m deep and were filled with similar compact reddish-brown clay fills. The fills were largely sterile. However, a single sherd of white glazed early modern pottery was retrieved from the fill of the most easterly ditch. Although the pottery is a good indication of the date of these features, no field boundaries are noted on the early OS maps in this area.

Archer Heritage Planning, 8 Beat Centre, Stephenstown, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin