County: Louth Site name: DROGHEDA: 9 West Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 99E0515
Author: Deirdre Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Historic town
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 708630m, N 775213m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.715277, -6.354275
The site of the development is at the corner of West Street and Meatmarket Lane within the medieval town of Drogheda. The development includes a two-storey extension to the rear of an existing pharmacy on West Street. Two trenches were dug: one was excavated externally by machine to the rear of the new extension; and one was hand-dug internally, in the floor area of the new extension.
Trench 1 measured 6.1m by 2m and was 1.05m deep. It was excavated 0.6m from the southern wall of the new extension. A layer of concrete extended to a depth of 0.4m, below which a black, sandy clay with rubble and red brick fragments extended to a depth of 6m, sealing a 0.m-thick layer of mortar. Below the mortar a layer of dark brown, loamy garden soil flecked with red brick, charcoal and mortar was visible to a depth of 0.95m. Below this a layer of light brown to green garden soil with shell and charcoal was exposed. A single sherd of green-glazed Saintonge pottery was recovered from this layer. No other finds or features were encountered in this trench.
Trench 2 was excavated in the floor of the new extension and was 1.1m long, 1.3m wide and 1.7m deep. A concrete floor, block wall and foundation associated with the present extension extended to a depth of 1.18m, below which rubble fill extended to 1.42m. Below this a compacted layer of rubble composed of red brick and stone extended to a depth of 1.72m. No features or finds were evident in this trench.
In conclusion, medieval garden soil was revealed at a depth of 1m to the south of the extension, although the extension itself has been built on a previously disturbed area.
15 Trinity Street, Drogheda, Co. Louth
