County: Mayo Site name: Bellass
Sites and Monuments Record No.: MA060-037 Licence number: 21E0301
Author: Richard Crumlish
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 526372m, N 804607m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.985473, -9.122626
The test excavation of a site in advance of development at Bellass townland, on the north-western outskirts of Foxford in County Mayo, was carried out on 27 May 2021. The project, which was in the pre-planning phase, consisted of the construction of a dwelling house and garage with connection to public services. Testing was necessary due to the location of the proposed development site partly within the constraint for a recorded monument, field wall(s) (MA060-037).
The proposed development site was located across two fields of pasture which sloped down from south-south-west to north-north-east. The fields had clearly been reclaimed in the past with large boulders, the result of the reclamation works, making up the field boundaries. The field wall(s) (MA060-037) was included in the SMR and the RMP based on an Ordnance Survey aerial photograph while the site was inspected by the Archaeological Survey of Ireland in 1996 and described as 'Situated in wet low-lying pasture. A small rocky field. Of no archaeological significance'. There was no visual evidence of the field walls, which were visible in the aerial photo, on the ground.
The testing consisted of the excavation of four trenches, which measured 45.7m, 13.3m, 20m and 20m long respectively; 1.8-2m wide and 0.2-0.9m deep.
The stratigraphy in all four trenches consisted of topsoil above orange/grey/brown loose loamy sand which contained naturally decaying rocks. The topsoil contained a number of modern pottery sherds, which were not retained. A number of modern land/field drains crossed two of the trenches. Nothing of archaeological significance was in evidence.
4 Lecka Grove, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, County Mayo
