County: Wexford Site name: WEXFORD: King Street Upper
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 98E0419
Author: Martin E. Byrne
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 704918m, N 621303m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.333297, -6.460540
Trial-trenching was undertaken at a proposed development site adjacent to Nos 20–22 King Street Upper, Wexford, on 24 September 1998. The work was undertaken in compliance with a request from The National Monuments Service and commissioned by the developers.
The site lies in the south-western area of Wexford, outside but close to the line of the Scandinavian and later Anglo-Norman defences of the town. The site of the late 12th-century Norman castle, itself possibly constructed on the site of a Scandinavian fortress, is nearby. Furthermore, the development site lies between the churches of St Brigid and St Michael, around which, it is believed, were suburban settlements in Anglo-Norman and possibly Scandinavian times.
Three trenches were excavated by machine in order to determine the nature and extent of any features or deposits of archaeological interest that might exist within the boundaries of the site. In general, it appears that the ground level was raised at some time in the past because of flooding, an occurrence still prevalent in the area. The basal layer of silt was probably laid down as a result of such flooding episodes in the past. However, investigation of this material did not reveal any items that would aid in dating the layer, and it is unclear whether it is of archaeological interest. Indeed, the sterile nature of the material indicates that it is not.
Given that no features, structures or finds of archaeological interest were uncovered during the course of the evaluation it was recommended that no further archaeological involvement at the site was required.
39 Kerdiff Park, Monread, Naas, Co. Kildare
