County: Louth Site name: HAGGARDSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 12:8 Licence number: 02E0549
Author: Fintan Walsh, IAC Ltd.
Site type: Industrial site
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 705718m, N 803913m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.973677, -6.388503
Testing was undertaken to investigate further the archaeological potential of lands at Haggardstown, Co. Louth, and to identify any areas in which development may be prohibited owing to the presence of archaeological monuments. The landowner wished to ascertain the potential archaeological resource in this area before any future development. The lands have been zoned as ‘secondary residential’ under the new Area Development Plan.
The record of a possible souterrain on the site, combined with the identification of significant Bronze Age and early medieval archaeological remains at the adjacent Xerox site to the north-west, excavated by Catherine McLoughlin (Excavations 1999, No. 610, 98E0440), indicated that the area had the potential to contain other, related archaeological remains.
A total of 49 trenches were opened across the site. No evidence of the possible souterrain was uncovered. The area in which it was thought to have been situated was extensively tested. It is possible that this monument lies outside the limits of the areas tested. However, archaeological remains were uncovered in five areas across the proposed development site.
Area 1 comprised a series of spreads, layers and linear features of probable early medieval date. A number of sherds of coarse, early medieval pottery were recovered, and other features yielded numerous pieces of metal slag. This suggests that the features recorded in this area relate to fairly substantial metalworking site.
Area 2 was toward the east of the development site. One pit was recorded, measuring c. 2.5m by 1.5m by 0.4m deep.
Area 3 contained a thin spread of charcoal-rich clay and heat-fractured stone associated with a layer of grey charcoal-flecked clay. This occupied an area of c. 4.5m by 3m.
Area 4 consisted of an area of heat-fractured stone, c. 0.2m deep, and associated oxidised and charcoal-rich clay, which may be the remains of a burnt mound. This occupied an area of c. 4.5m by 3m.
Area 5 consisted of a number of features comprising small areas of charcoal-rich clay (possible pits and gullies). These features occupied an area of c. 20m by 30m.
8 Dungar Terrace, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
