archaeological & built heritage assessment - The Heritage Council

Jamestown is an urban centre that was recognised in the early post medieval period as a place of strategic
defence importance. Even in prehistoric times the area was protected by man-made defences known as
‘The Doon’. As such, the town was incorporated in 1651 and fortified by means of town walls. Partial
remains of the town walls survive, one of the few examples remaining in Ireland. However the small village
we see today provides little sense of its unique history to the public. A Conservation Plan for the village
should be commissioned and an information board supplemented by a walking route which would
incorporate many aspects of it heritage including the North Gate and walls, The Doon, Jamestown Bridge
and Canal, the church and graveyard (possible friary), the Union Workhouse and the post medieval
streetscape. In this respect Drumkeeran village is to be commended for its programme of regeneration in
terms of infrastructure (street and road surfacing), restoration (streetscape, town houses) and creating an
awareness of its cultural identity (Drumkeeran Heritage Centre/Coffee Shop), and should be utilised as a
template for future regeneration works within the urban settlements of the study area.
Such walking routes could also be devised for certain other areas of the waterways, particularly the
canals. The stretch of canal extending from Battlebridge to Drumleague lock has a minor roadway running
parallel with the waters edge and is a place of beauty and tranquillity for locals and tourists alike. It also
forms part of the Kingfisher Cycle Route. A similar undertaking could be undertaken for the area adjacent
to ‘Tarrant’s Cut’ which was originally constructed in the 1760s in order to divert the Arigna River
directly into Lough Allen instead of the Shannon to avoid silting problems. This would involve creating not
only a greenway adjacent to the canal but also conducting dredging and conservation works since it has
largely silted up over the years. However it is realised that this would be quite a large operation since the
‘cut’ is not discernible at certain places, especially in the area between Mountallen bridge and Bellantra
bridge. Indeed, at this location the Miner’s Way walking route already extends parallel to the original
Tarrant’s Cut, although there is no indication of the existence of the latter for the walker.
It is noted that most scenic routes within the study area are devised for either the land-based
(walking/cycling) user or the water-based user (boats). However, when conducting field survey for this
project, largely from a car-based perspective, there is a range of dramatic landscape scenery and both
natural and cultural heritage aspects to be visited. As such, scenic driving routes, supplemented with easily
discernible published mapping should be devised which plots a variety of routes incorporating all aspects
that the region has to offer in terms of landscape/ecology/archaeology. For example, the area of the R280
roadway that extends from Spencer Harbour on the western shores of Lough Allen to Mountallen bridge
is a driving route that offers spectacular views of Lough Allen itself as well as the distant Slieve Anierin
mountains on the eastern side. This route also passes a brick chimney at Spencer Harbour, the location of
a post medieval ironworks/brickworks/potteryworks industry. With the large extant brick chimney and
associated outbuildings as a visual backdrop, the harbour itself is excellently maintained, surrounded with
mature woodland, picnic areas, a jetty, and impressive views of Corry Island and the Slieve Anierin
mountains. Immediately south of Spencer Harbour along the R280, are two waterfalls on the foothills of
Corry Mountain, as well as the ancient abbey of Tarmon, with a large proportion of the church and
enclosing wall still extant. In addition there are a range of archaeological monuments since prehistoric
times located adjacent to this route such as a standing stone/ringforts/sweat houses etc.
The region of the Upper Shannon and its lakes which comprise the waterways corridor is unique for its
rural landscape and rolling terrain. Relatively untouched, it has been the subject of several distinguished
authors whose works date to the nineteenth century. The field monument known as sweat houses are
unique to this region of Ireland and were utilised for their healing properties. Excursions by tourists,
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