County: Louth Site name: DROGHEDA: Dyer Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 99E0248 ext.
Author: Deirdre Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Historic town
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 708822m, N 775044m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.713719, -6.351434
A second phase of excavation was carried out at the proposed extension and refurbishment of Drogheda Town Centre, Dyer Street, Moneymore, Drogheda, Co. Louth. The excavation carried out on the site by Donald Murphy in 1999 (Excavations 1999, No. 567) revealed that substantial post-medieval deposits and buildings existed immediately below present ground level in Area 3. Medieval deposits consisting of garden soil were also revealed at a depth of 0.6m. It was clear from the plans submitted that these deposits would be affected by the proposed foundation layout. Consequently this area was resolved in advance of the commencement of construction work. However, it was necessary to carry out further excavations on this site and within Area 4 following numerous changes to the original development plans by the construction contractors in November 2000. This resolution was carried out from November 2000 to January 2001.
The excavation revealed post-medieval structures and deposits, some of which dated from the time of the Preston Bros & Co. distillery that stood on the site currently occupied by the Drogheda Town Centre. Traces of the 19th-century stone foundations for storerooms or warehouses were revealed, along with a number of small cobbled yards and evidence of a brick drain network. Two post-medieval stone culverts ran in a north–south direction through Areas A and C. A number of medieval deposits were also revealed in Areas C, F and G.
Excavation of Areas 3 and 4 has shown that deposits and structures of medieval and post-medieval date survive at this site. These largely consist of walls, drains, culverts and cobbled and brick surfaces.
15 Trinity Street, Drogheda, Co. Louth
