County: Monaghan Site name: CORNAPASTE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 98E0408 and ext.
Author: Eoghan Moore
Site type: Excavation- miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 645694m, N 818220m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.111017, -7.301189
Testing was carried out on the site of proposed development at Cornapaste, Scotshouse, Co. Monaghan, in order to fulfil conditions for planning approval. The site lay 50m west of the Black Pig's Dyke, or Worm Ditch, and is best described as a water meadow. Five test-trenches were excavated by mechanical excavator on 14–17 September 1998.
Trench 1 measured c. 9.6m x 1.6–1.7m on a north-south axis. At a depth of c. 0.9m numerous pieces of wooden twigs with associated possible wooden stakes were uncovered, lying immediately above white lake marl at the northern end of the test-trench. These were interpreted as constituting a brushwood surface, and therefore only their upper surfaces were exposed.
On account of this discovery it was decided to test the area immediately to the east of Trench 1 to ascertain whether the brushwood extended eastwards (the presence of an electrical pole militated against investigating the area to the immediate west of Trench 1). Two test-trenches (2 and 3) were excavated by mechanical digger. Trench 2 measured 9.5m x 2.3–2.5m, while Trench 3 measured 4.5m x 1.6–1.7m. No brushwood (or any archaeological) remains were uncovered in either of these trenches.
A further two test-trenches (4 and 5) were mechanically excavated on an east-west axis immediately to the north of Trench 1. Trench 4 measured 26m x 1.6–1.7m, while Trench 5 measured 9.8m x 1.6–1.7m. No archaeological remains were uncovered.
Further testing was carried out on 31 December 1998. Two test-trenches were mechanically excavated in accordance with a request from the Planning Section, Monaghan County Council. These test-trenches, measuring 6.2m x 1.6-1.7m and 6.6m x 1.6–1.7m respectively, on an east-west axis, were excavated in the southern area of the site for proposed development. No archaeological remains were uncovered.
It was recommended that before development took place on the site the area of Trench 1 should be fully excavated to determine the nature, extent and date of the possible brushwood surface and stakes. The archaeological resolution of this site has yet to be completed.
Prospect House, Dunsrim, Scotshouse, Co. Monaghan
