1995:190 - CARLINGFORD: Newry St., Louth

Archaeological testing of this site was carried out in December 1994 (Excavations 1994, 59–60) and revealed the presence of archaeological deposits in the north-east corner of the site. This was the subject of a two-day excavation in January 1995. An area measuring 7m by 6m was excavated to natural gravels. The top 0.3–0.4m consisted of disturbed material associated with the construction of houses which formerly stood on the site. In the north section the foundation wall of an 18th/19th-century house was visible along the footpath cut into this disturbed layer. This house wall continues further north and is still standing on the neighbouring site. Immediately below the disturbed layer was a 0.3–0.4m-thick layer of dark organic soil containing sherds of 15th- to 17th-century pottery and fragments of oyster shells and barnacles. Immediately below this layer was a 1m-thick layer of heavy grey garden soil. The only find from this layer was a sherd of medieval pottery (14th/15th-century) of probable local manufacture.

Over most of the site the garden soil could be seen sitting directly on natural gravels but in the north-east corner it sealed an early medieval peaty layer containing fragments of branches. It was 0.8m thick and at its western extent was a stone setting of uncertain significance. The only find from the layer was a small sherd of 13th/14th-century local ware. This layer sat directly on the natural gravels which sloped from the west side of the site towards the east. About 4m from the eastern edge of the site the slope became more dramatic and this coincided with the start of the peaty layer. It is possible that this slope represents the outer edge of a ditch or moat around King John's Castle, which stands just across the road from the site. It would appear to have been at least 2m deep and possibly up to 8m wide at the top and ran in a south-east/north-west direction. The peaty layer probably represents the primary fill of this ditch. Very little evidence survives for the line of the town wall towards the north end of the town. It was presumed to have headed westwards from the castle towards the north-west corner of the town, where the town wall still stands. It is clear that the wall in its present condition is quite late in date and it is possible that a ditch, part of which was uncovered on the site under investigation, formerly existed at the north end of the town.

30 Laurence Street, Drogheda, Co. Louth