2020:142 - Carrowcardin, Sligo

Archaeological testing (19E0051) was undertaken in March 2019, in consideration of the development of a site at Carrowcardin, Enniscrone, Co Sligo to construct an extension to the rear, north, of the existing disused schoolhouse, refurbish the existing adjacent cottage, construct an area of hard standing between the schoolhouse and the cottage and finally develop an associated sewage and percolation area in the field to the east. Nothing of archaeological interest was uncovered in this initial phase of works. However, due to a revision in the design of the proposed sewage system to the east of the site, two further test trenches were investigated out under an extension to the archaeological licence.
Testing took place in September 2020 and consisted of two 15m long and 1.5m wide machine-dug trenches, located across the footprint of the proposed additional percolation area.
The first was excavated to a depth of 0.7m (this was in excess of what was required to construct the percolation area – Project Engineer, pers. comm.) The topsoil consisted of a friable, loose stone-free clay loam. Modern plastic was noted at the base of the south-facing section of the trench indicating that the area consisted of modern backfill and made ground.
The second trench, located some 4m to the north-west of the first, was excavated to a depth of 0.7m at its eastern end and the fill here consisted of the same loose friable clay loam, made ground noted in the adjacent trench. At the west end however, excavation reached some 0.5m where stiff stony glacial till was uncovered. This represented rising undisturbed natural subsoil.
Nothing of archaeological interest was noted in either of the addition test trenches.

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