2023:774 - Newcastle Lower, Newcastle, Wicklow

Archaeological monitoring was undertaken over the course of two days in April 2023, of groundworks associated with a permitted kitchen extension. The development area is located within the western extent of the zone of notification for recorded monument WI019-006, classified as a ringfort-rath. The upstanding remains of the monument lie c. 20m to the southeast of the property boundary. The proposed extension footprint has, however, been previously disturbed during the construction of the original house 20 years ago, when the entire garden area was renovated.

Works comprised the stripping of topsoil and excavation of foundation trenches. Subsoil was only exposed during the latter activities. The topsoil and garden soil horizons uncovered during the monitoring works would appear to have been heavily disturbed in the recent past. This disturbance included the insertion of modern services, which had breached the subsoil layer. The stratigraphy was consistent across the site with the topsoil consisting of a firm brown clay (c. 0.18m deep) with occasional small stones. Beneath this was a garden soil (c. 0.45m deep) consisting of a soft brownish-grey clayey silt with moderate small stone inclusions. Modern ceramic and building debris indicate that the garden soil had been heavily disturbed in the recent past. Natural subsoil lay directly below the garden soil and consisted of a firm brownish-orange clay. During monitoring modern services were encountered, both of which had breached the subsoil layer. Nothing of archaeological significance was uncovered during monitoring.