1999:542 - ARDEE: 16–18 Castle Street, Louth

Monitoring of ground reduction works within gardens to the rear of 16–18 Castle Street, Ardee, Co. Louth, was undertaken before the construction of a carpark. The site is to the north-east of the urban tower-house known as the Courthouse, SMR 17:7.

Monitoring was undertaken between 22 October and 2 November 1999. An irregular-shaped area, comprising two former gardens to the rear of the properties, was mechanically cleared of topsoil and reduced to the top of the clay subsoil, which lay on average 0.5m below present ground level. The northern garden area was retained behind a limestone wall, north of which at a reduced level lay an access roadway to commercial premises. A sparse hedge and fence line forming the south boundary at the western side of the proposed development were removed under supervision to allow the construction of a concrete block wall, the foundation depth of which was 0.8m.

Topsoil was dark brown loam overlying yellow boulder clay with a sandy texture, containing numerous limestone boulders of irregular and water-rolled form. Fragments of slate, red brick and modern patterned ceramics were found within the topsoil removed from the western portion of the development. Remains of a former garden partition wall were uncovered extending through the western portion of the proposed development and as far as the cross-over point between the east and west portions of the proposed carpark area. The wall, 0.5m wide and constructed of mortared limestone, was set into the clay subsoil.

The eastern portion of the development had been used as a small apple orchard, and a modern shed foundation with associated drain was revealed directly on removal of the sod at an angled point along the north perimeter wall of the garden. Removal of rich, black topsoil, containing only a few fragments of butchered animal bone, to an average depth of 0.55m revealed the yellow boulder clay. The excavation of a sump measuring 2m by 2m and 1.5m deep immediately east of the area stripped for the carpark revealed fairly homogeneous, yellow clay with inclusions of very large, undressed boulders.

The development did not reveal any deposits, features or finds of archaeological significance. The enclosing walls along the north and east perimeters of the site were retained, the only alteration to site boundaries being the replacement of a sparse hedge with a block wall along the south side of the western area of the development site. The pronounced and elevated level of these former gardens, by c. 2m above the surrounding ground level, appears to be linked with possible redeposition of the clay subsoil. A stage of deliberate dumping of clay, possibly in the late 19th or early 20th century during construction of dwellings fronting Castle Street and/or in the surrounding area, appears to be likely. If the clay subsoil on the site is redeposited, there is a possibility that deposits, features or finds of archaeological potential survive below a level of 1.5m from the existing garden level (102.9m OD).

15 Trinity Street, Drogheda, Co. Louth