2007:299 - MALLOW: Annabella, Cork

The proposed development site is located at the west side of Mallow town. Part of the site lies within the zone of archaeological potential for the historic town of Mallow (CO033–093) and a railway bridge (CO033–128). A total of twenty test-trenches were excavated across the development site. Existing carparks were not tested.

The excavation of test-trenches in the temporary parking areas indicated that original topsoil had been removed prior to the laying down of the temporary hardcore surfaces and this is likely to have been the case in the remaining existing carparks. This also appeared to have been the case over much of the central part of the site, where topsoil had been removed and a substantial amount of rubble had been brought in to raise the ground levels. Excavation of the test-trenches confirmed that much of this area comprised up to 2.5m of artificially raised ground.

Testing was not carried out at this time in the areas that fall within the curtilage of Annabella House and stables and The Manse on West End Road. The existence of a major sewer on the site beneath the narrow field to the east of Park Road is likely to have disturbed the entire field and this area was not tested.

Nothing of an archaeological nature was noted during the excavation of the test-trenches. A metal-detection survey of a stream at the eastern side of the site, to the east of Park Road, registered several anomalies, none of which were archaeological in nature.