County: Meath Site name: TRIM: Friarspark
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 98E0556 EXT.
Author: Linda Clarke, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Historic town
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 681205m, N 756495m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.552091, -6.774519
This site was assessed in 1998 by Matthew Seaver (Excavations 1998, No. 527). Archaeological layers, including a post-medieval wall and garden soils, were revealed during this work but an impact statement of the proposed development could not be provided in the absence of design plans. This was prepared by Bryn Coldrick on 8 August 2001 as the necessary plans were made available.
Further testing was requested to establish the extent of a post-medieval wall identified by Seaver. Nine additional trenches were dug. The recently acquired area within the development (fronting onto Bridge Street) also required testing, as did a boundary wall that divided the previously assessed site from that recently acquired. This was carried out by the writer in October 2001 (Excavations 2001, No. 1060). Numerous features, including walls, cobbled surfaces, associated kerbs and cut features, were identified. An impact statement was prepared in August 2004 and again in December 2004 (each time a change was made to the proposed development plans). Further information was requested by the planning authority in February 2005. It was decided to revise the plans in order to preserve archaeological material in situ and to carry out additional testing along the lines of the revised footprint. Four additional test-trenches were excavated and no additional features were identified.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
