County: Sligo Site name: Castlegal 5
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E005286 (R00544) (also Ministerial Consent Ref. No. A079)
Author: James McKee
Site type: Pit of potential prehistoric date
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 571779m, N 839923m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.307276, -8.433636
Stage (iii) Excavations were undertaken at Castlegal 5 as part of the N16 Lugatober (Drumkilsellagh to Lugnagall) Road Project, Co. Sligo. Castlegal 5 was discovered in the townland of Castlegal during Stage (i)i geophysical survey (Registration No. R0531; Ministerial Consent Ref.: A079) carried by Target Archaeological Geophysics (Nicholls 2020). The sub-surface remains of single pit were subsequently revealed during Stage (i) Test Excavations undertaken in 2020 by AMS (Dowling and McKee 2020; Registration No.: E005188; Ministerial Consent Ref.: A079).
The on-site Stage (iii) Excavation Services at Castlegal 5 were undertaken between the 11 and 15 December 2020. The site consisted of a sub-circular pit (1.49m x 1.37m x 0.11m that contained a pottery sherd of probable prehistoric date, as well as a chert flake. Some hazelnut shell and animal bone were also recovered. The base of the pit was burnt (oxidised) and it may have been use as a fire pit or hearth. Features relating to modern agricultural activity were also recorded. Soil samples were taken from the fill of the pit for environmental analysis and radiocarbon dating, should suitable organic remains be present.
Castlegal 5 lies in the vicinity of an Iron Age palisaded enclosure (Castlegal 4) and a number of other sites of apparent prehistoric date excavated as part of the N16 road scheme. The latter sites include two Bronze Age ring-ditches (Castlegal 2 and Castlegal 3) and a concentration of possible prehistoric pits at Drumkilsellagh 2, some 350m to the south of Castlegal 5. The new discoveries add to the corpus of known monuments in the Castlegal area that include wedge tombs (SL009-028 and SL009-031) in the neighbouring townlands of Drum East and Drumkilsellagh, as well as an embanked barrow (SL009-030) and ring barrow (SL009-027) in Castlegal townland itself.
References
Dowling, G. & McKee, J. 2020. N16 Lugatober (Drumkilsellagh to Lugnagall) Road Project Stage (i)a Test Excavation, Stage (i)f Townland Boundary Surveys and Stage (i)g Topographical Survey Report. Ministerial Consent Ref.: A079; Registration Nos.: E005188. Unpublished report by Archaeological Management Solutions Ltd on behalf of Sligo County Council.
Nicholls, J. 2020. Geophysical Survey Report. N16 Lugatober (Drumkilsellagh to Lugnagall) Road Project, Co. Sligo (A000079, R000531). Unpublished geophysical survey report prepared for AMS and Sligo County Council.
c/o Archaeological Management Solutions Ltd, Fahy’s Road, Kilrush, Co. Clare
