2003:1875 - DUNGARVAN: The Lookout, Quay Street, Waterford

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Waterford Site name: DUNGARVAN: The Lookout, Quay Street

Sites and Monuments Record No.: WA031-040---- Licence number: 01E1060 ext.

Author: Stuart D. Elder, for Eachtra Archaeological Projects

Site type: Tannery

Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)

ITM: E 626321m, N 592964m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.087980, -7.615920

The client is constructing a complex of fourteen townhouses and eight apartments in three blocks on the site of a former tannery at Quay Street in Dungarvan. The site was previously tested by John Tierney (Excavations 1997, No. 573, 97E0379) and is located within the zone of archaeological potential for Dungarvan town. Following the initial testing, it was recommended that all ground disturbance should be monitored.

The author carried out the monitoring of Block A, Phase 1, overlooking the quay and Dungarvan Bay, in October 2001 (Excavations 2001, No. 1240). Monitoring of Phase 2 of the development, the foundation trenches for five townhouses and their enclosing wall along Bath Street to the south of the site, was carried out by Daniel Noonan in July 2002. In September of that year, Noonan again undertook monitoring of service trenches within the development site (Excavations 2002, No. 1789).

During the course of the excavation of the foundation trenches for Block B of the three-block residential development, two significant features were noted: a large cesspit pre-dating the construction of the former tannery complex, and the base of a hydraulic press associated with the tannery. The former was partially truncated during construction of the industrial complex, whilst the latter was partially dismantled some time after the complex had gone out of use. Both features remain in situ beneath the present foundations of the apartments in Block B.

Ballycurreen Industrial Estate, Cork