1998:662 - COURTOWN, Wexford

The inspection of engineering test-trenches and pits along the proposed route of the Courtown Drainage Scheme was carried out under archaeological supervision. The monitoring of the site investigations forms part of the mitigation arising from the Environmental Impact Survey prepared by Markus Casey.

Courtown is a former medieval borough occupied during the 13th and 14th centuries and apparently deserted thereafter; its precise location is unknown. A motte and bailey (SMR 12:10) and graveyard (SMR 12:9) lie in the townland of Middletown. It is likely that these surviving monuments represent the site of the medieval borough. Before the Anglo-Norman invasion Courtown was known as 'Killellin', suggesting that it was the location of a pre-Norman ecclesiastical establishment, the site of which is likely to correspond to the graveyard (SMR 12:9). The only SMR site recorded close to the route is a cross-slab (SMR 12:6). References to Courtown as 'Killellin' in medieval documents indicate that a pre-Norman ecclesiastical site was replaced by a manor to which the name 'court' was applied.

The topography is a low-lying, undulating alluvial drift including some shell, sands and gravels. The area is now drained by the Aughboy River to the south, the Owenavaragh River to the north and other small streams. Rock is commonly found at depths of 5–6m or more below present ground level.

Fourteen geotechnical test-pits were inspected at the request of the local authority and design team. No archaeological inclusions were noted. The topsoil excavated was typically 25mm–300mm deep, and beneath this was a virtually stone-free silt with occasional lenses of sandy gravel. In general the water table lay c. 3m below present ground level. Many of the pits, excavated to depth of up to 3.8–4m, did not reach the water table.

Five trenches, measuring 5m x 1.2m, were opened, removing topsoil, ostensibly for archaeological purposes (as advised in the Environmental Impact Survey). The topsoil depth was similar to that noted in the geotechnical test-pits, and the silty soil beneath it displayed no archaeological indicators whatsoever. The discovery of a glacial relict deposit of gravel with a high, well-preserved wood content during the geotechnical investigation (to the south of our nominated study area) is of considerable interest from a palaeoenvironmental point of view.

The lack of archaeological material in the pits inspected in no way precludes the possibility that features will be revealed during construction after topsoil removal. An opportunity to take samples of the buried organic gravel deposit for dating and palaeoenvironmental study may be sought in the event that excavation during construction reveals the deposit again. Archaeological monitoring will remain a requirement.

2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Gleanageary, Co. Dublin