2020:801 - CARROWBAUN, Mayo

Archaeological testing which was required by the local planning authority prior to construction of 46 houses (30 detached 16 semidetached) with associated roads, footpaths, lighting and connection to public sewer and services at Carrowbaun, Westport, Co Mayo. Due to the size of the development (3.629 hectares or 8.96 acres) and the potential to discover archaeological remains, it was recommended that a programme of pre-development archaeological testing be undertaken. The test trenches were excavated as per the licence application and method statement. Extra trenches were excavated to the southwest of the site in a bog area. Topsoil varied from 0.35–0.60m deep in the dry greenfield area where the natural subsoil was very rocky. The trenches reached depths of 1m in the wetter area to the southwest of the site. No artefacts or environmental evidence were revealed during the test trenching exercise.