County: Westmeath Site name: Rathgowan or Farranshock and Sarsanstown
Sites and Monuments Record No.: WN019-046 Licence number: 21E0518, 21R0203
Author: Zbigniew Malek, Archaeological Management Solutions Ltd
Site type: Post-medieval house and outbuilding, field boundary ditches, field drains, agricultural furrows and pit, undated pit and charcoal-production kilns and post-hole
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 642013m, N 753322m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.528175, -7.366346
Archaeological testing and a preliminary architectural heritage survey were undertaken at a proposed residential development site at Rathgowan or Farranshock and Sarsanstown townlands on the western outskirts of Mullingar town in Co. Westmeath. The development site adjoins a ringfort, in Sarsanstown (WM019-046), which is partly defined by the hedgerow at the west of the proposed development site. This monument’s Zone of Notification extends into the western extent of the Site.
The proposed development site was subject to a geophysical survey (20R0256, Leigh 2002), and a number of anomalies with archaeological potential were identified.
The testing was carried out between 26–29 October 2021. Works consisted of 76 test trenches, totalling 1,718 linear metres. This is the equivalent of 5.1% of the available testing area of the proposed development site which measures 6.06 hectares.
Three areas of archaeological potential were identified and recorded as Archaeological Areas (AA) 1–3: (AA1) a post-medieval vernacular house and outbuilding, (AA2) an isolated pit with in-situ burning, and (AA3) a group of two charcoal-production kilns and a post-hole.
AA1 comprised two post-medieval buildings that appear to be a small vernacular house and outbuilding, accessed by an embanked avenue. These buildings were depicted on the first-edition six-inch OS map (dated 1838) and on the 25-inch OS map (dated 1913).Building 1, orientated north-east/south-west, was rectangular in plan and had overall external dimensions of c.13.8m by 6.2m. Building 2, orientated north-west/south-east, was rectangular in plan and had overall external dimensions of c.10.5m by 5.1m. An extant southern gable wall of this building measured 2.68m in length by 0.5m in width by 1.55m in height. The wall was coursed random rubble, and larger stones were combined with smaller stones to bring the horizontal course to regular intervals (ranging 0.4m, 0.33m and 0.27m in thickness). It was formed by a double wythe of roughly-hewn angular limestone blocks, flat angular stones, and small angular stones. The wall was bound with a lime mortar mixed with small, rounded pebbles.
AA2 comprised an isolated pit that measured 2.7m by 1.4m by 0.2m in depth within the trench limit. At the base of the pit, a patch of charcoal-rich deposit was sitting overlying red scorched natural subsoil. According to the geophysical survey results, a potential feature is located c.4m to the west of the pit. This pit was of unknown date as no finds were retrieved.
AA3 comprised a group of two adjacent charcoal-production kilns and a possible post-hole. The first kiln, located to the north-west within the group, was elongated in plan and measured 4m by 1.1m by min. 0.09m in depth. A charcoal-rich deposit and red scorched natural subsoil at the western edge were localised in the south-western terminus of the feature. Possible stone lining was placed along the north-eastern edge. The second charcoal-production kiln, located 2m to the south-east, was cut by an agricultural furrow. It was sub-oval in plan and measured 0.96m by 0.5m. These features were of unknown date as no finds were retrieved.
Fahy's Road, Kilrush, Co. Clare, V15 C780
