County: Mayo Site name: Snugborough (Garryduff Park, Castlebar)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: None Licence number: 20E0289
Author: Richard Crumlish
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 513687m, N 790782m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.859312, -9.312085
The test excavation of a site in advance of its development at Snugborough townland, on the western outskirts of Castlebar, Co. Mayo, was carried out on 9 and 10 June 2020. The project consisted of the construction of twenty-six housing units. Due to the size of the development site and the scale of the proposed development, an archaeological assessment in the form of pre-development testing was considered necessary.
The proposed development site consisted of a field of pasture which sloped down from north-west to south-east. A wastewater pumping station was located just outside the east corner of the site with foul and storm services extending from the pumping station to the north-west, along the north-east side of the site. A number of spoil heaps, associated with the installation of the pipes in the 1990s, were visible along the north-east side of the site. No features of archaeological significance were visible within or in the immediate vicinity of the site.
The testing consisted of the excavation of six trenches, located to best cover the area of the proposed development. The trenches measured 85.5m, 41m, 58m, 63m, 69.7m and 74.5m long respectively; 1.8-2.1m wide and 0.1-0.8m deep.
The testing revealed relatively undisturbed natural stratigraphy at the site, in the form of topsoil above natural subsoils and bedrock. One clay pipe bowl and a number of modern artefacts were found in the topsoil.
Nothing of archaeological significance was in evidence.
4 Lecka Grove, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, County Mayo
