County: Wexford Site name: WEXFORD: Townparks, Waterloo Road
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E1806
Author: Emmet Stafford, Stafford McLoughlin Archaeology
Site type: Enclosure
Period/Dating: Late Medieval (AD 1100-AD 1599)
ITM: E 704524m, N 621679m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.336755, -6.466198
Monitoring of geotechnical test-pit excavation was undertaken at the site of a proposed development at Waterloo Road, Wexford, in December 2002 (Excavations 2002, No. 1941). The site is within Wexford town's zone of archaeological potential immediately to the south and west of a proposed development site that was tested and subsequently monitored under licence (Excavations 2002, 1940, 02E1684).
Little of archaeological significance was uncovered in the majority of the test-pits excavated. The fill of one large subsoil-cut feature was, however, uncovered towards the northern limit of the site. It is possible that the brown humic material uncovered represents the fill of a linear feature uncovered during the testing of the adjacent site (C11, 02E1684). The feature, which appears to run in a south-east to north-west direction, may represent an enclosing ditch, possibly associated with the site of a Franciscan priory (SMR 37:32(19)) located immediately north-east of the proposed development site. The priory was established in 1230 and was described at the suppression as consisting of a house, chapter house, belfry, dormitory, hall and kitchen with other buildings.
Further monitoring undertaken at the site in 2003 revealed no further features of archaeological significance. The utilisation of a pad and ground-beam substructure beneath the apartment block constructed on the site ensured the preservation in situ of the ditch feature uncovered towards the northern boundary of the site.
Unit 4, Enniscorthy Enterprise Centre, Milehouse Road, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
