2003:1892 - KILL ST LAURENCE, Waterford

The site was excavated in advance of realignment works at the R708 Waterford Airport Road. Archaeological remains were initially detected by geophysical survey, and testing by Eoin Corcoran (Excavations 2002, No. 1812, 02E1448), commissioned by Waterford City Council. The remains consisted of two concentric enclosure ditches and associated pits, post-holes, hearths and deposits, located within the road-take. The road has been redesigned to preserve these remains in situ. It was, however, necessary to partially excavate a 43m-long stretch of field boundary incorporated into the outer enclosure ditch. The boundary survived in the form of a partially stone-faced earthen bank, excavated as far as the foundation level of the redesigned roadway. A number of 18th/19th-century artefacts, including ceramics and a clay-pipe stem, were found in it.

Advance construction works were monitored at the area of archaeological potential. To preserve the features, a layer of terram was initially laid across the site and levelled off with crushed stone. Geogrid was then laid longitudinally across the area. This is a heavy-duty plastic mesh that spreads the weight of the overlying road embankment evenly across the road corridor and, in so doing, greatly lessens its compressive impact. This was overlain with hardcore material, and a final protective layer of heavy-duty terram was laid across the outer enclosure ditch.