2004:1071 - Old Chapel Street, Louth

Monitoring of topsoil-stripping for development of Phase 1 of a local authority housing scheme was carried out in January and February 2004 on a site in Ardee town located between O'Carroll Street/Black Ridge, Old Chapel Street and Lane's Lane. This followed two phases of assessment carried out in 1999 by Malachy Conway (Excavations 1999, No. 543, 99E0642), which revealed a possible medieval stone wall footing and associated features running parallel to Cappock's Gate (SMR 17:217), located immediately south-east of the site boundary. This feature was to be preserved in situ as part of this development and remained undisturbed.

Phase 1 consisted of stripping the western portion of the site. Topsoil was mechanically stripped by a combination of a bulldozer and twelve-tonne tracked excavator. All topsoil deposits have been stockpiled on the site. Nothing of medieval or earlier date was noted and no features associated with Cappock's Gate, or the stone feature uncovered in testing, were revealed in monitoring. However, monitoring did reveal a number of small features, including cobbled surfaces, burning and stone pits dated to, and characteristic of, 19th- and early 20th-century domestic garden activity across the development area. A stone-lined drain of late 17th- or 18th-century date was also revealed. The drain was lined with limestone flags and measured 0.4-0.43m in internal width and 0.9m in depth. It was exposed across the site east-west for over 8m in length but was noted to continue east below the level exposed in topsoil-stripping. This feature will be located within the rear garden plots and will therefore be left preserved in situ.

No archaeological implications were encountered within Phase 1 of this development. However, further monitoring will be conducted in Phase 2.

Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd, Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth.