2005:1077 - GREENORE, Louth

Testing was carried out at Muchgrange, Greenore, Carlingford, Co. Louth. The development plans include the construction of six houses and associated services and road facilities in a greenfield area. The proposed development lies close to a church and graveyard and holy well, SMR 9:2. Test-trenches were excavated along the footprint of the proposed dwelling house and in the area of the proposed roadways. Several flint artefacts were recovered from the topsoil across the entire site, including flakes which show similarities to Late Mesolithic assemblages. An area of burning was present, which was associated with flint artefacts. An area of metalled surfacing was also present. No finds were noted within the metalled surface. Two irregular features were present beside the metalled surface. These contained animal bone, a flint blade and a mortar/daub incorporating shell fragments. These features are likely to be of prehistoric date, although some 18th-century pottery was present in the topsoil above these features, in addition to flints, so it is possible that they are of later date.