2017:833 - LOWPARK, Mayo
County: Mayo
Site name: LOWPARK
Sites and Monuments Record No.: MA063-004001 & MA063-004
Licence number: 17E0030
Author: Angela Wallace, Atlantic Archaeology
Author/Organisation Address: Pier Road, Enniscrone, Co. Sligo
Site type: Ringfort - rath
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 547483m, N 801460m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.959772, -8.800241
An archaeological assessment was required for a single residential dwelling adjacent to MA063-004 Ringfort-Rath. The development site is located within the urban area of Charlestown in the south-western area of the town. The green field site is to the south of Chapel Street on a site to the rear of St Joseph’s Secondary School. A narrow grassy laneway leads into the site from Chapel Street at the north-west corner.
To the west of laneway and abutting the north-western boundary of the site is a large, well-preserved ringfort-rath MA063-004001 with a Children’s Burial Ground MA063-004002 within the interior.
A total of ten test trenches were excavated across the footprint of development. Testing did not reveal any evidence for archaeological deposits, finds or features. Recommendations were made regarding implementing appropriate buffer zones around the edges of the enclosure to ensure no direct physical impacts during the construction stage.