2006:1346 - DROGHEDA: Old Abbey Lane, Louth

Monitoring of the demolition of derelict properties and test-trenching of the site of the proposed development of a restaurant/shop located on Old Abbey Lane, Drogheda, Co. Louth, was carried out in fulfilment of planning conditions. The site is located within the zone of archaeological potential associated with the medieval town of Drogheda (LH024–041) and located within the site of the Abbey of St Mary D’Urso. The site also contains the standing remains of the west gable of the north aisle of the abbey.

Monitoring of the demolition of the derelict properties began on 15 December 2005; the demolition was carried out by hand and continued until 6 February 2006. During the course of the demolition no previously unrecorded medieval fabric was identified and no structural damage to the standing remains of the west gable of the northern aisle of the abbey was noted. During the course of the demolition a temporary steel bracing was constructed around the west gable to ensure its stability and to protect it during the project. An assessment by means of test-trenching was conducted on the site from 6–10 February 2006. Four trenches were excavated.

Trench 1 contained the remains of a medieval stone wall that appeared to follow the line of the west gable of the northern aisle of the abbey. This wall ran northwards towards Narrow West Street and was located beneath c. 1.2m of 17th-, 18th- and 19th-century reclamation deposits above which were the remains of 18th- or 19th-century building foundations. Towards the northern extent of this medieval wall at a depth of c. 1.8m, the remains of a possible medieval garderobe were recorded.

Trench 2 contained the substantial remains of the northern wall of the north aisle of the abbey. This wall measures on average 0.8m wide and was recorded to be intact from the current ground level of the site to a depth of 1.4m. Excavation of Trench 2 was halted at a depth of c. 1.4m because of the discovery of four human burials. These appeared to have been buried within deposits of 17th-century reclamation located within the line of the northern wall of the north aisle of the abbey. Located directly to the north of the northern wall of the north aisle, at a depth of 0.2m below the current ground level and abutting the north aisle northern wall, are the remains of a buttress.

Trench 3 also contained the substantial remains of the northern wall of the north aisle of the abbey. This wall measures on average 0.8m wide and was recorded intact from the current ground level of the site to a depth of 1.85m. Excavation of Trench 2 was halted at a depth of c. 1.7m because of the discovery of two human burials. One of these appeared to have been buried within 17th-century reclamation deposits located within the line of the northern wall of the north aisle of the abbey. The other burial appeared to be located within a deposit located below the 17th-century reclamation deposits, in a plaster-rich deposit that contained three pieces of medieval green-glazed pottery. To the north of the northern abbey wall within Trench 2 a second wall was recorded, which was aligned east–west. This wall measured c. 0.69m wide.

Like Trenches 2–3, Trench 4 contained the substantial remains of the northern wall of the north aisle of the abbey. This wall measures on average 0.89m wide and was recorded to be intact from the current ground level of the site to a depth of 1.2m. Excavation of Trench 4 was halted at a depth of c. 1.2m because of the discovery of two human burials. Both of these appeared to have been buried within 17th-century reclamation deposits located within the line of the northern wall of the north aisle of the abbey.

The test-trenching suggested that substantial amounts of the medieval abbey and possible associated structures remain intact within the site of the proposed development. The 17th-century reclamation deposits contain seven human burials of 17th-century date. The presence of a plaster-rich deposit located below the 17th-century reclamation deposits suggests that the floor level of the abbey may still be in place below further deposits. The presence of 17th-century burials suggest that there is an increased likelihood that the site of the proposed development may contain further burials.

During the course of testing, substantial remains of the north wall of the northern aisle of the abbey were identified, along with the possible remains of a medieval garderobe and eight 17th-century human burials deposited within 17th-century reclamation deposits. Test-trenching suggests that further standing remains of the abbey and further associated structures may be present within the site of the proposed development.

It is therefore recommended that the site be subject to further archaeological investigation to assess the full extent of the surviving remains of the abbey prior to any groundworks associated with the construction of the proposed development.

Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Louth