County: Donegal Site name: Asseroe Abbey, Abbey Island
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DG107-044002- Licence number: 22E0626
Author: Eoin Halpin
Site type: Abbey and graveyard
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 587023m, N 862274m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.508721, -8.200380
It was proposed to undertake urgent repair works to the graveyard wall which surrounds Asseroe Abbey graveyard, which is listed on the Sites and Monuments Record as DG107-044002-.
The walls have been the subject of a detailed structural report undertaken in 2017 by the architect Colin Bell. As part of this report Bell noted that one of the sections of the wall along the southern perimeter was at risk and needs urgent attention. This section of wall had collapsed due to the action of the root activity of a mature beech tree and required attention.
Following the dismantling by hand of the collapsed wall and the setting aside of the stone for re-use, a 30m long strip some 1.5m wide was machine excavated under license, along the base of the disturbed section.
Topsoil, a dark yellow brown humic clay loam, was on average 300mm in depth and was removed down onto the local natural, a stony yellow-brown loam clay. Only two features of interest were noted and both were formed as a result of tree root activity. Apart from the evidence of tree root activity, nothing of archaeological interest was noted.
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