County: Louth Site name: OLDBRIDGE, Sheephouse
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 92E0130
Author: Beth Cassidy, A.D.S. Ltd.
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 703029m, N 809311m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.022706, -6.427654
In August 1992 some test pits were opened on Oldbridge Demesne, Co. Louth. These were part of a soil testing programme to assess the water retention capacities of areas proposed as the drainage and filter bed locations for any future development.
Five trenches were opened to the east of the main house and west of the main house farm building complex. These measured 2m x 1m x c. 1-2m deep. The soil profile revealed c. 0.2m of ploughsoil which contained a mixture of 19th/20th-century horseshoes, chain link, knife blade; overlying subsoil and natural sands and gravels.
Four trenches were opened to the rear of the main house, each 2m x 1m x c. 1m deep and again the soil profile produced 19th/20th-century debris in topsoil/ploughsoil overlying natural sands and gravels with the exception of one trench where some charcoal/burnt clay occurred at c. 0.77m below present ground surface. This was not investigated as the trial pit was moved elsewhere to avoid interference with potential archaeological material.
Four further trenches measuring 1m x 2m x 0.5m deep and one 1m x 2m x 2m deep were opened south of the main house in the townland of Sheephouse. Here the soil profile revealed c. 0.2m-0.25m ploughsoil overlying a heavy clay subsoil and bedrock occurring at c. 1.45m below present ground surface.
In all the trenches revealed no archaeological features, with the exception of an area to the rear of the main house, which would have to be monitored/excavated prior to any development taking place in the vicinity.
Editor's note: This excavation took place in 1992 but was not received in time for inclusion in that year's bulletin.
Power House, Pigeon House Harbour, Dublin 4
