2006:320 - Courtstown, Little Island, Cork

The greenfield development site is situated in the townland of Courtstown on Little Island, to the east of Cork city, and lies within the zone of archaeological potential for the site of Courtstown Castle. There are no visible remains of the castle, thought to be of 17th-century date. Thirteen test-trenches were opened on the development site in August 2006. The trenches were excavated in the areas of possible archaeological potential noted in a geophysical survey carried out on the site in June 2006. A thin topsoil layer, not exceeding 0.2m thick, covered the site. The underlying subsoil was very stony with fractured pieces of limestone, typical of the upper levels of a friable limestone bedrock. The underlying limestone bedrock rose above the subsoil layer in places. The topsoil was spread thinly after excavation from the trenches, and examined by hand. Several sherds of post-medieval, glazed red earthenware were recovered, particularly from Trench 11. This trench was closest to the extant 19th-century Courtstown House. Oyster and periwinkle shells were noted scattered within the topsoil layer in Trench 9. These were associated with two small fragments of animal bone and post-medieval, glazed red earthenware and probably represent the dumping of food waste.