2002:1310 - DROGHEDA: Chord Road, Louth

The proposed extension of McHugh’s public house into the neighbouring property would involve the demolition of both buildings and the construction of a new building on the site. An assessment was carried out to determine the archaeological potential of part of the site. A single trench, measuring 21m by 1–1.5m and oriented north–south, was excavated, revealing post-medieval garden soils directly overlying natural subsoil. Only one feature was encountered in the trench, a mortared retaining wall c. 8m from the back of the property, extending beyond both east and west sections. It was only a single block wide (0.4m) and a maximum of three courses high (0.7–0.9m). The main building material was limestone blocks, undressed, with red brick used in places. The lower course was heavily mortared, with a yellow/white mortar, which was used more sparingly in the upper courses. A number of post-medieval ceramics and glass bottle sherds were found between some of the stones. The wall had been disturbed before assessment (not connected to the present development). The base of the wall was 1.4m below present ground level. There was no foundation cut. No evidence of a return to this wall was seen in the western boundary wall (adjoining McHugh’s pub), and the two walls are not considered to be connected. Rather, it seems that this wall, which was built directly on and against natural subsoil, acted as a retaining wall, probably during the construction phase of the property, which cut into the natural slope of the hill.

The trench did not extend the full length of the site because of the buildings at either end, and the width of the trench was restricted to accommodate the large amounts of spoil generated by the assessment. The garden soils produced a number of post-medieval ceramics (particularly black-glazed earthenware and modern porcelain) and 20th-century debris. A single body sherd of locally made, late medieval pottery (possibly of 14th–15th-century date) was recovered from the garden soil.

No archaeological remains were uncovered during this assessment phase. The wall can be securely dated to the late post-medieval period and probably the time at which the property was initially developed. It is unlikely that archaeological deposits survive at this location; however, given the proximity of a number of significant archaeological structures/sites, including St Laurence’s Gate, monitoring of all groundworks associated with the development was recommended.

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