County: Offaly Site name: Ballyduff, Tullamore
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 23E0182
Author: Fiona Reilly & Seán Shanahan; Shanarc Archaeology Ltd.
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 632282m, N 726772m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.290271, -7.515822
Archaeological test-excavations as part of an Archaeological Impact Assessment for the proposed construction of a medical devices sterilization technology facility were carried out in May 2023 at a greenfield site on lands adjoining AXIS Business Park at Ballyduff, Tullamore, Co. Offaly.
Prior to testing, the site was subjected to a geophysical survey carried out by Shanarc Archaeology Ltd. in January 2023 under Prospection Licence No. 22R0404. The survey data indicated a number of linear anomalies representing historic field boundaries, as well as a number of potential archaeological anomalies comprising potential pit-type features.
Testing comprised the excavation of ten test-trenches within the proposed development area of the site. Trenches measured 18-81m in length, 2m in width and 0.3-0.75m in depth.
The general stratigraphy of the excavated trenches comprised a sod and topsoil layer, moderately compact mid-brown to dark-brown in colour, consisting of a silty clay deposit, with occasional to moderate amounts of small-sized, rounded and sub-rounded stones; this combined layer measured between 0.25-0.3m in depth. The underlying subsoil layer throughout the site comprised moderately compact, orange-brown silty clay with occasional to moderate amounts of small-sized sub-rounded stones; patches of a light grey, coarse sandy gravel appeared in places and likely represent the underlying natural.
A number of linear features representing field boundaries recorded in the historic OSi maps as well as modern drainage features were identified in several of the trenches.
No archaeological finds or features of significance were identified during testing.
Unit 39A, Hebron Business Park, Hebron Road, Kilkenny
