2018:743 - Clonturkle (Doon Quarry, Molly Mountain), Fermanagh

Pre-development archaeological evaluation works were undertaken during 20–22 March 2018 within the northern portion of the extension to quarrying, covering an area of approximately 1.66 hectares and measuring c.160m (north-west/south-east) x 120m. Twenty-three trenches, totaling approximately 900 linear metres of trenching, were excavated.

On-site evaluation works revealed undisturbed glacial subsoil throughout each of the trenches and no archaeological features, remains or deposits were identified during the evaluation works.

Visual inspection of the surviving portion of bank associated with FER259:004, as described in the SMR file for the site, revealed that the feature is substantially comprised of an outcrop of bedrock and the above ground root bole of the thorn tree that sits atop it.

Removal of topsoil within the interior area of the monument as marked on the historic OS maps (Tr.1.22 – 1.25) revealed undisturbed glacial subsoil at a depth of between 0-100mm with portions of the bedrock visible above ground in several places.

Removal of topsoil within the area of bank and ditch of the monument as marked on the historic OS maps (Tr.1.14 – 1.21) revealed undisturbed glacial subsoil comprising bedrock and mid-orange boulder clay at a depth of between 0-200mm with portions of the bedrock visible above ground in several places. No material associated with a possible bank were identified and no evidence of a ditch was noted; indeed the bedrock identified throughout these trenches beneath a shallow topsoil deposit would strongly suggest that it is unlikely that a subsoil-cut ditch was ever excavated in this area of the site. Several of these trenches were extended to ensure that identification of the monument would be achieved, if such remains survived in situ.

Across the remainder of the site, excavation of trenches Tr.1.2 – 1.12 confirmed that the topsoil deposit directly overlay undisturbed glacial subsoil to a depth of c.100-300mm. Across most of the site, subsoil comprised a mid-orange clay although in the low-lying south-east corner, subsoil consisted of a light-mid orangish grey boulder clay. Seams of bedrock were encountered at several locations throughout the area under investigation. Moreover, the shallow layer of topsoil with discrete patches of exposed bedrock suggests that farm improvement works did not involve the levelling or spreading of a substantial amount of material across the area.

Previous archaeological works at the site revealed several funerary monuments located along the same ridge and any monument located along the ridge is likely to have been visible for a considerable distance from these directions. In particular, the phase of archaeological works undertaken by Colin Dunlop of NAC Ltd. during 2003 under licence no AE/03/96 included the excavation of FER 259:003, previously recorded as a cashel but revealed by archaeological excavation to comprise a Middle to Late Bronze Age ring barrow.

Located c.290m to south-south-west of FER259:004, “The monument was found to consist of a roughly circular bank 22m in diameter encircling a flat area of raised bedrock. The internal area of the monument contained no evidence for structures. Externally the excavation and the two extended test trenches showed that the bank had no associated ditch from which the construction material could have come…. On average, the bank was little more than 0.2-0.3m above the bedrock. Its average width was 1.2m”.

In addition, consultation of the historic editions of the Ordnance Survey maps shows that the “Rath” site FER259:004 was originally mapped as a “Fort” with a diameter of approximately 20m while on later editions the site is depicted as much larger than on the 1st edition map with a diameter of c.50m (east–west) x 45m.

It seems reasonable to suggest, therefore, that “Rath” site FER259:004 may originally have comprised a funerary monument similar to FER259:003 described above. It is quite possible that the later editions of the OS maps recorded a portion of the natural topography in addition to the original monument itself. Unlike a rath site, the removal of the imported stone bank material from such a monument during farm improvements is much more likely to have been a minor undertaking with the material likely to have been used to fill a boggy area somewhere within the vicinity.

Christopher J. Farrimond, FarrimondMacManus Ltd (Derry), 150 Elmvale, Culmore, Derry BT48 8SL.