2021:275 - Attirory, Leitrim

A programme of archaeological testing carried out by Fadó Archaeology at Attirory, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim. The proposed development works entail the construction of three houses and all associated site development works. The proposed development is within the Zone of Archaeological Notification for recorded archaeological monument RMP No. LE031-039-039003 – Church, Burial Ground & Ecclesiastical Enclosure. Archaeological testing took place previously on the 16th/17th of January 2019 on foot of a request from Leitrim Planning Department for pre-development testing. Linear test trenches were excavated at 5m intervals across the proposed development site. During archaeological test trenching features of archaeological significance were noted. These features included remains of a possible ditch – the continuation of the enclosing element of the ecclesiastical site RMP No. LE031-039-039003. Other features consisted of linear features, postholes, and pits, some containing animal bone, charcoal and slag.
Further information request was sought in relation to the extent of the archaeological remains in the proposed development site. The site was summarily stripped of topsoil cover under strict archaeological supervision on the 10th/11th of May 2021. Mechanical removal of topsoil from the entire site was undertaken along with additional hand excavation of a test section through the ditch revealed the extent of the feature and confirming the presence of the ecclesiastical enclosure previously identified in test trenching in 2019.
Following topsoil stripping the full extent of the ditch was visible. The ditch measured 33m in length (E-W), 3.1m minimum width and 3.5m maximum width. A section trench through the ditch was hand excavated within the eastern portion of the ditch. The section trench measured 2m wide (E-W), 3.10m (N-S) and was excavated to a maximum depth of 0.65m. The ditch was not excavated to the actual base due to the presence of a line of small to medium subrounded and subangular stones within the trench, it was decided not to remove these stones but to leave preserved in situ.
There appeared to be three fills within the ditch, C3 was the upper fill, C4 underlay this fill which in turn overlay the stony fill (C5). No artefacts or ecofacts were encountered during the excavation of the test section trench through the ditch. The sides of the ditch have a gradual slope, with a gentle break of slope at the top and a concave break of slope at the base, suggesting that the ditch has a U-shaped profile. C3 comprised a heavily compacted reddish brown silty clay 0.3m deep. C4 comprised a heavily compacted greyish brown clay 0.35m deep with moderate small stone inclusions. The section trench confirmed that the feature was indeed a ditch and is consistent with the description of the ditch feature thought to be the enclosing earthwork of the ecclesiastical site at Attirory which was encountered further to the North of the site and excavated by Dominic Delaney in 2015/2016 (pers comm.).
The proposed development is in the vicinity of and within the Zone of Archaeological Notification for recorded archaeological monument – Church, Burial Ground & Ecclesiastical Enclosure RMP No. LE031-039-039003. During test trenching in January 2019 archaeological material was identified in the north and north-eastern area of the proposed development, in the form of a substantial earthwork ditch and internal features including pits, postholes, deposits and linear features – some containing iron slag and animal bone.
The archaeological material was present in an area of the proposed development site measuring 16m (E-W) and 33m (N-S) and adjacent to the eastern boundary of the site and likely to be present beneath this treelined boundary hedge and adjacent road. Any proposed works in this area will impact directly on the archaeological material present including a substantial ditch 33m in length (E-W) and 3.5m maximum width, which encloses an area with several smaller features including pits, postholes, and linear features. These features contain archaeological material in the form of iron slag, charcoal, and animal bone. Following a site inspection by NMS archaeologist Celine Walsh the site was backfilled under archaeological supervision after a geotextile protective layer of material was laid over the archaeological features, prior to reinstating the site again in topsoil.

Cooldrumman Upper, Carney, Co. Sligo