County: Fermanagh Site name: Phase 1, Lisgoole Abbey, Enniskillen
Sites and Monuments Record No.: FER 211:043 Licence number: AE/17/76E
Author: Chris Long, Gahan & Long Ltd
Site type: Red brick structure
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 624016m, N 841733m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.323760, -7.630827
An archaeological evaluation was carried out prior to planning permission being granted for renovation works to a dwelling at Lisgoole Abbey, Enniskillen. The proposed renovations are contained within Lisgoole Abbey, a 19th-century villa located on and incorporating parts of a medieval Augustinian monastery (FER 211:043).
A fabric survey was conducted for two of the areas where demolition work was required, to identify any potential historic fabric within the existing structure. The fabric survey was conducted at two locations. The first of these covered the proposed new doorway through the eastern wall into the garden. An area measuring approximately 1m x 0.3m was exposed along the base of the wall within which the proposed doorway will be inserted. This revealed a fabric of rough stone bonded with a gritty cement mortar consistent with the construction of the house in the 19th century. No evidence of any historic fabric was identified within the exposed area. The second was located along the internal wall separating the kitchen from the utility room. Plaster removal of a small area measuring approximately 0.3m x 0.15m exposed a red brick wall bonded by a gritty cement mortar. The bricks appear to be at least 19th- if not 20th-century in make-up. Again no historic fabric was identified within this exposed area.
This evaluation also consisted of the excavation of two test pits within the development area. The first pit was excavated in the garden of the property, immediately adjacent to the area of the proposed new door. This pit was excavated by machine. The second pit was excavated by hand through the floor of the utility room.
Test pit 1 showed that the area immediately outside the proposed new door has been heavily truncated by modern service pipes.
Test pit 2 revealed a short section of a curving, red-brick structure. Only a very small section of this structure was exposed and it was not possible to discern what it represented. No dating material was recovered during the excavation of this test pit. It is likely that further remains of this and possibly other structures may survive beneath the existing floor and these may be exposed through any future ground reduction.
The evaluation of Phase 2 of the works was carried out under licence AE/17/200.
7-9 Castlereagh Street, Belfast BT5 4NE
