2005:492 - HOWTH: Abbey Street, Dublin

Monitoring was carried out at 14B Abbey Street, Howth, on 22 September 2005. Testing was requested prior to the construction of a townhouse, as the site is within the buffer zone for a number of monuments (SMR 15:29 ecclesiastical remains, SMR 15:30 dwelling, SMR 16:2 possible motte site and Martello tower, SMR 16:4 dwelling site).

The area to be monitored consisted of a modern concrete surface overlying sand. After the removal of the concrete surface, eight pad foundations were excavated to depths of 0.6–1m; all eight were dug through a mottled orange/grey sand, with occasional inclusions of modern building debris, in the area alongside the extant buildings at the northern edge of the site. No features of archaeological significance were revealed.