2001:1068 - TRIM: Market Street, Meath

Monitoring of excavations for a proposed extension to Trim Post Office was carried out on 16 October 2001. The site lies within the zone of archaeological potential in Trim, as defined in the Urban Archaeological Survey of County Meath. It is located at the junction of Market Street, Watergate Street and Emmet Street, at the south-west end of the medieval town. The Anglo-Norman burgage plot pattern is well preserved in this part of the town and it is clear that this property originally extended to the medieval town wall, which is some 60m west of the development site.

Excavations for the proposed extension were limited to a small area (6.5m east–west by 7.5m) at the western end of the development site. The ground level in this area was reduced by between 1.62m and 2.65m. Excavations commenced at the eastern end of the site, immediately west of a new extension being built on the site of a previous extension to the Post Office. A deep rubble fill extended 1m to the west and clearly indicated the limit of excavations for the old extension. The rubble was removed to reveal a bank of undisturbed natural ground. The existing tarmacadam yard surface directly overlay the natural ground, which consisted of a glacial deposit of very compact light brown clayey sand with frequent inclusions of pebbles and small stones and moderate inclusions of medium-sized stones and boulders. The only intrusive material was associated with a modern cut for a buttress built against the southern boundary wall. No archaeological material was discovered during monitoring of excavations at the site.

During the course of excavations it was decided to demolish all elements of the southern boundary wall, as these were in imminent danger of collapse. All demolition work was monitored. The buttress, boundary wall and gate pillar are undoubtedly relatively modern features, but it was also clear that the gate pillar was built with reused stones. A late medieval architectural fragment was recovered during demolition of the pillar. It is a chamfered and punch-dressed limestone block (0.45m x 0.23m x 0.15m) with a bar-hole in its upper surface. All good building stone, including the late medieval architectural fragment, is to be reused in the construction of a new boundary wall.

31 Ashbrook, Oranmore, Co. Galway