2007:218 - BEARFOREST LOWER, Cork

The proposed development site is located to the immediate south of the historic town of Mallow (CO033–093) on the southern bank of the Blackwater River. The greenfield site, currently in pasture, slopes steeply up to the south from the river. Twelve test-trenches were excavated on the site in June 2007. The majority of trenches were excavated on the high ground in the areas proposed for housing. Trenches were also excavated along the river’s edge, where an amenity path was to be constructed. Topsoil depths averaged between 0.2m and 0.4m on the sloping ground and were shallowest at the top of the slope. Topsoil in these trenches overlay a pale orange sandy boulder clay with infrequent stones. A trench excavated at the eastern end of the site on the lower ground exposed fine silty topsoil overlying sandy boulder clays. Brick rubble had been deposited in a depression in the subsoil, probably to consolidate a wet area. The trenches along the riverbank were excavated to the formation level of the path at a depth of 0.3m and exposed a silty topsoil. There were no archaeological features noted in the test-trenches.