County: Westmeath Site name: MARLINSTOWN, Mullingar
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0186
Author: Donald Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 646115m, N 751979m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.515770, -7.304679
Archaeological monitoring was carried out on 6 April 2000 during topsoil-stripping in advance of the construction of 34 detached houses, associated roads and footpaths. The sod and topsoil extended to an average depth of 0.15m and overlay a brown, sandy loam that contained a number of post-medieval finds. This layer extended to an average depth of 0.35m and directly overlay the natural boulder clay and stone. Further to the east, in the area of the proposed access road, a dark brown, peaty clay was exposed at a depth of 0.4m below the brown, sandy loam. A number of post-medieval finds were recovered from this layer, which directly overlay the natural boulder clay and stone.
Two trenches were excavated further to the east of the site in an area previously stripped by Mullingar Corporation during construction of the Mullingar Bypass, in order to verify that the area had been stripped to the natural subsoil. The natural boulder clay and stone were exposed at an average depth of 0.4m, below a thin layer of brown, sandy loam in both trenches. No archaeological deposits or features were exposed.
No evidence of archaeological stratigraphy was revealed during the monitoring of groundworks and topsoil-stripping for the construction of the proposed housing development. Both layers exposed below the topsoil were modern in date, as evidenced by the finds recovered, and represent 19th/20th-century agricultural activity. The natural boulder clay and stone were exposed at an average depth of 0.4m. Consequently no further work is required.
The two trenches excavated in the area of the proposed hotel complex indicate that very little stratigraphy exists in this area following the stripping carried out during the construction of the nearby bypass. Natural deposits were exposed at a depth of 0.4m in Trench 1 and at a depth of 0.25m in Trench 2. However, it is recommended that this area be archaeologically monitored during construction because of its proximity to the excavated ringfort and cemetery SMR 19:66, to ensure that no potential archaeological deposits are disturbed. Further assessment should take place in advance of the construction of the office block to the north.
15 Trinity Street, Drogheda, Co. Louth
