2003:0173 - BARNAGORE, Cork

A series of archaeological investigations, including geophysical survey, testing and monitoring, was carried out in advance of the construction of an office building at the possible location of a souterrain. The development site formed part of a stock and storage yard within a John A. Woods Ltd quarry complex at Barnagore, Ovens. There are no visible remains of the souterrain and a geophysical survey was commissioned in order to locate the site and other related features of archaeological interest. This was carried out by GeoArc Ltd under licence number 03R082 and was centred on the presumed location of the souterrain.

A 20m by 20m area was surveyed initially, and an adjacent 10m by 10m area was then surveyed in order to fully investigate a number of anomalies that were identified at the edge of the 20m by 20m area. The geophysical report identified one of the anomalies as a possible location for the souterrain. A number of test-trenches were then excavated to investigate these anomalies. The stratigraphy encountered in each of the trenches was quite similar: modern fill material composed of gravel and disused concrete products (slabs and blocks) which overlay natural subsoil. The fill, which was generally 0.4–0.5m in depth, was introduced onto the site during the construction of the stockyard in 1988 and directly overlay the subsoil. The topsoil on the site, according to local information, was removed at the commencement of the works. A very stony orangey-brown subsoil overlay finer gravels.

No features of archaeological interest were noted and each of the geophysical anomalies tested was found to have been caused by large modern concrete slabs within the modern fill. The excavation of the building foundations was subsequently monitored and no archaeological features or finds were uncovered.

AE House, Monahan Road, Cork