2002:0040 - CHAPELSTOWN, Carlow

An assessment of a proposed housing development was carried out at Chapelstown, Co. Carlow, off the Tullow Road, south-east of Carlow town. The initial proposed development comprised 109 two-storey residential units with associated services. The proposed development site covers c. 29ha, with a 50m buffer zone established around a cropmark in the south-eastern part of the development. The fields sloped toward each other, forming a natural catchment area for rainwater, as well as being prone to flooding from the Burren River, which runs along the southern boundary of the site. The field had previously been under tillage.

Two previous assessments were undertaken at this site, by John O’Neill (Excavations 2000, No. 31) and Edmond O’Donovan (Excavations 2001, No. 30, 00E0829). Eleven trenches were excavated during these phases of testing. Seventeen trenches were dug as part of the latest assessment. The layout of the trenches sought to identify and determine the nature of a number of roughly circular anomalies noted on aerial photographs and to identify any further archaeological deposits. No finds were recovered from topsoil in any of the trenches, although a small number of late post-medieval ceramics (porcelain, black-glazed and unglazed earthenware, stoneware and clay-pipe fragments) were noticed at ground level but not collected. Although no archaeological stratigraphy was recorded in either field, a large number of drainage features were noted in the western field, all of which appeared to be modern (19th/20th century). These are probably the cause of the various aerial photograph anomalies.

Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth