County: Sligo Site name: N16 Lugatober (Drumkilsellagh to Lugnagall) Road Project
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E005188
Author: Ger Dowling
Site type: Various, multi-period
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 571717m, N 840767m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.314856, -8.434668
Stage (i)a Standard Test Excavations, Stage (i)f Townland Boundary Surveys and Stage (i)g Topographical Survey were conducted in advance of the N16 Lugatober (Drumkilsellagh to Lugnagall) Road Project, Co. Sligo. The road project involves the upgrade of approximately 2.5km of the N16 national primary road from a point 2.5km to the northeast of Sligo town.
The total area available for test excavations was 18.09 greenfield hectares. The greenfield area of the scheme was divided into 20 areas (Areas 1–20) by for recording purposes. The total linear metres excavated was 11,729m, representing a 12% sample of the greenfield area available for test excavations. During the Stage (i)a testing, 26 sites of archaeological potential were found. These comprised:
Drumkilsellagh 1 (Area 5) pit and spread; Drumkilsellagh 2a (Area 6) four pits, a post-hole and a fire pit; Drumkilsellagh 2b (Area 6) pit; Drumkilsellagh 2c (Area 6) pit; Castlegal 1a (Area 7) vernacular building remains; Castlegal 1b (Area 7) two ditches; Castlegal 2 (Area 9) ring-ditch and associated pits; Castlegal 3 (Area 9) ring-ditch, with internal cremation pit and possible post-hole; Castlegal 4 (Area 9) palisade enclosure, possible ring-ditch and potential associated pits and post-holes; Castlegal 5a (Area 9) ditch; Castlegal 5b (Area 9) pit; Lugatober 1a (Area 10) burnt spread, charcoal-rich spread, two pits and a fire pit; Lugatober 1b (Area 10) three pits and a fire pit; Lugatober 1c (Area 10) pit and two burnt spreads; Lugatober 1d (Area 10) brick production site; Lugatober 2 (Area 10) vernacular building remains; Lugatober 3 (Area 11) ring-ditch and associated pits and stake-holes; Lugatober 4 (Area 11) possible prehistoric structure; Lugatober 5a (Area 11) possible cremation pit cemetery; Lugatober 5b (Area 11) two pits; Lugatober 5c (Area 11) fire spot; Lugatober 5d (Area 11) fire spot; Collinsford 1a (Area 13) possible charcoal-production pit; Collinsford 1b (Area 13) possible cremation pit; Lugnagall 1 (Area 18) burnt spread; and Lugnagall 2 (Area 20) burnt spread.
In addition to these sites, post-medieval field drains, drainage ditches and other features were found at various locations along the length of the scheme. No other archaeological features were found.
Stage (i)f Townland Boundary Survey was also carried out on the boundaries of four townlands along the length of the scheme (TBS-01, TBS-02, TBS-03 and TBS-04). Two further townland boundaries (TBS-05 and TBS-06) were also surveyed. The work comprised a desk-top assessment and archaeological investigation of the boundaries. A Stage (i)g Topographical Survey, utilising a GPS, was undertaken at one location (TPS-02), the line of an old road (CHC72).
Archaeological Management Solutions, Fahy's Rd, Drimna, Kilrush, Co. Clare, V15 C780
