County: Louth Site name: DROGHEDA: 3–4 Bessexwell Lane
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 97E0455
Author: Rosanne Meenan
Site type: Historic town
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 709027m, N 775317m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.716130, -6.348228
The development site is located at the west end of Bessexwell Lane, which runs into Shop Street, one of the major thoroughfares in medieval Drogheda. The lane itself is known to have existed at the beginning of the 14th century. There is a record of a property plot owned by Martin Johan in 1363, immediately to the west of the development site in question. Three test-trenches were dug following demolition of 19th-century stone buildings. Two of the trenches were excavated to the top of the archaeological strata while the third was dug to a deeper level in order to test the depth of the archaeology.
A layer of mixed brown gravel, sand and clay underlay the thin layer of demolition rubble. Deposits of ash could also be seen within it. This layer was 1.5–1.6m deep. In Trench 1 there was evidence for a layer of cobbles within the layer. No finds were seen in this material but it was probably post-medieval in date.
The underlying layer of mottled grey, brown and black clay was approximately 2m deep. It was very plastic in texture and was probably deposited intermittently by the river. It also contained small lenses of black vegetable material. There was evidence to suggest a wattle fence within it. The deposit resembled other riverine deposits exposed in medieval excavations in Dublin and elsewhere. Natural grey-blue sand lay underneath.
Roestown, Drumree, Co. Meath
