2000:0648 - COOKSTOWN, Louth

Pre-development test excavations were carried out on the site of a proposed private residence and a possible extension to an existing house c. 3 miles north-west of Ardee town. The proposed development is situated in the vicinity of the site of a castle (SMR 14:01601). The site is also proximal to the cropmark of two circular enclosures (SMR 14:17 and 17:28); there may also be a souterrain (SMR 14:01602) in the vicinity. According to the SMR file, Cookstown Castle was destroyed a couple of days after the Battle of the Boyne. The present owner of the site stated that in the early 20th century the remains of the castle were used in the construction of walls and roads around the immediate locality. Possible upstanding remains of the castle consist of a short portion of low, mortared wall in a corner of the field to be developed. The proposed development is located 48m from these remains.

Excavations were carried out by mechanical digger fitted with a ditching bucket and consisted of eleven trenches in all: eight trenches over the area of the proposed house foundations, driveway, septic tank and soakaways, and three on the site of the possible extension to an adjacent house. Natural subsoils were generally reached at a depth of between 0.25m and 0.5m but extended to a depth of 1.1m in Trench 3, where the natural subsoil undulated. In general, the underlying natural soils consisted of a yellow boulder clay. The homogeneous topsoils contained flecks of brick, modern burning and 18th- and 19th-century pottery. Excavations revealed nothing of archaeological significance.

No further archaeological investigations were deemed necessary in the area tested. It was also recommended that no construction or ground disturbance take place within 40m of the corner of the field where the remains of Cookstown Castle are to be found without prior consultation with Dúchas The Heritage Service.

Campus Innovation Centre, Roebuck, UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4