County: Donegal Site name: Combined N56 Dungloe to Cloughbolie & N56 Letterilly to Glenties (Kilraine) Scheme [Phase 1 & Phase 5 of the N56 Dungloe to Glenties (Kilraine) Scheme], Co. Donegal - Letterilly, Mullantiboyle, Derries and Kilrean Upper
Sites and Monuments Record No.: n/a Licence number: Ministerial Directions A065. Registration Number E005014
Author: Graham Hull, TVAS (Ireland) Ltd
Site type: Burnt stone spread, cremation cemetery
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 579700m, N 895500m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.807010, -8.315760
Stage (i)c Test Excavations in Wetland took place in eleven targeted areas along the route of the proposed N56 Letterilly to Glenties (KIlraine) Road Scheme, Co. Donegal. Two archaeological sites were identified during this programme of test trenching. These were a small burnt stone spread (Letterilly 1) and pit cremations/charcoal-rich features forming part of a possible cremation cemetery (Letterilly 2).
Letterilly 1 – The archaeological deposit was located above approximately 0.4m of peat and sealed by approximately 1m of peat. The burnt stone spread measured approximately 8m by 4m and was 0.45m thick. No evidence for a trough was found.
Letterilly 2 – Two possible cremation pits and five charcoal-rich deposits were identified beneath 0.2-0.4m peaty topsoil and above glacial till (clay) with frequent outcropping bedrock. The pits measured 0.42m by 0.75m and 0.45m by 0.9m. Calcined bone and charcoal were visible on the surface of both and a struck flint was recovered from the surface one pit. The charcoal-rich deposits measured 0.6m by 0.72m, 0.59m by 1.02m, 0.55m by 0.7m, 0.9m by 0.5m and 0.22m by 0.41m.
Full excavation of both sites is recommended.
Ahish, Ballinruan, Crusheen, Co. Clare
