1999:896 - DUNBUR LOWER, Wicklow

Monitoring before construction of a housing scheme commenced in November 1999. The development will result in the construction of 32 houses with services, access roadways and associated landscaping.

The site is c. 2km south of Wicklow town and c. 1km west from the coast. Before development the site consisted of a green field comprising a series of raised, shale bedrock outcrops linked by a number of reasonably level terraces. This field had an area of 4.5ha.

Little is known about the townland of Dunbur Lower. Price cites a reference to 'Dunborr' from 1627 and to 'Dunbar' from a coastal chart of c. 1700. In relation to the placename, O'Donovan considered 'Dún báirr, fort of the top' as a likely basis for the modern placename 'Dunbur' (Price 1967, 434).

Where the soil was stripped, stratigraphy was found to consist of a sod layer underlain by 0.3–0.4m of reddish-brown topsoil containing occasional angular pieces of shale. Natural subsoil was found to be made up of a loosely compact, reddish-brown, sandy clay with shale fragments. Natural shale bedrock outcropped through this subsoil. In approximately 40–50% of the area stripped for the access roads, natural bedrock occurred directly under the sod.

Features revealed during monitoring included a field drain in the north of the site, traces of a levelled field boundary in the centre of the site and a small, undated hearth toward the east. A disused road surface serving an adjoining property was uncovered in the east of the site. This had been used within living memory.

Further monitoring of topsoil removal in 2000 is envisaged.

Reference
Price, L. 1967 Place-names of Co. Wicklow. VII-the baronies of Newcastle and Arklow. Dublin.

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