County: Galway Site name: Marshallspark, Galway
Sites and Monuments Record No.: GA095-080---- Licence number: 23E0527
Author: Declan Moore
Site type: —
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 535863m, N 721761m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.242347, -8.960886
A programme of archaeological testing of a proposed single dwelling house development and associated services at Marshallspark, Renville, Oranmore, Co. Galway was completed in July 2023. The proposed development area partially intersects with the zone of archaeological potential for a ringfort (GA095-080----). The proposed development was the subject of a cultural heritage assessment completed by Declan Moore in 2022. Given the proximity of the well-preserved ringfort, the potential presence of a souterrain and the subject site’s location on lower lying ground to the immediate west it was recommended that a programme of archaeological testing be carried out in the greenfield area to the southwest where the percolation area and treatment plant are proposed.
Archaeological testing at the site was carried out in bright, sunny but showery conditions on 6 July 2023. The applicant excavated 2 test trenches. The trenches were excavated by a backhoe excavator fitted with a 1.9m-wide toothless ditching bucket that removed topsoil and sod to natural subsoil and the excavated ground was assessed for the presence of archaeological features. The northern trench measure 21m in length and the southern trench measured 18m in length.
The western part of the site is accessed via a field gate on the northern side of a local road. The eastern part is accessed via the existing house and outbuildings. A gated lane leads north to a yard to the rear of a centrally located freestanding, single storey, dwelling house. The house faces to the south. The back area has storage bays and sheds to the north-west corner. Northwest and southwest of the house and sheds are two areas of greenfield. The southern field is bounded to the southwest by mature trees and a laneway allowing access to the foreshore. It slopes gradually northwest towards the foreshore. The site has good views to the northwest over Renville Bay, Renville Park, and Galway Bay Sailing Club.
The ringfort-rath occupies a roughly circular area across the road and to the west of the existing house and is much overgrown. The Galway Archaeological Survey noted that it is defined by three banks and two intervening fosses. Internally Holt in 1929 noted that when an attempt was made to plant the interior, flagstones were encountered which he presumed were the roof of a souterrain.
The stratigraphy exposed was a 150-200mm deep layer of a mid-brown sandy topsoil and sod overlying a reddish-brown sandy silty natural undisturbed subsoil.
Nothing of archaeological significance was noted.
3 Gort na Rí, Athenry, Co. Galway
