County: Monaghan Site name: Monaghan Town Centre, Roosky
Sites and Monuments Record No.: MO009–060 Licence number: 07E0575
Author: Clíodhna Ní Lionáin, Arch-Tech Ltd, 32 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2.
Site type: Peat deposits/possible lake
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 667417m, N 834022m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.250594, -6.965482
Pre-development testing was undertaken at Monaghan town centre in the townland of Roosky. Seven trenches were excavated, covering an overall length of 205m. Due to the continued use of the carpark and the waterlogged nature of some of the trenches the testing programme was slightly curtailed, but sufficient investigation was undertaken to assess the stratigraphy and archaeological potential of the site.
The south-eastern and north-western parts of the site contained significant peat and marl layers, indicative of the prior existence of a lake. This may have been fed by a stream that currently runs along the southern boundary of the site. These layers are probably also present in the south-western part of the site. The exposed peat layer was left in situ and only partially removed to assess its minimum thickness.
The north-eastern part of the site appears to have been the original highest point of the area, and as a consequence is also the driest. The peat layer did not extend into this area, with the subsoil consisting of a stony brown layer. Nothing of archaeological interest was noted in this area, but its close proximity to a possible lake would suggest that it might have archaeological potential.
A deposit of infill material was noted in the southern part of Trench 1 and part of Trench 3. This would correspond with local information that relates to a dump on the site. It appears, however, to have been confined to a relatively limited area.
The peat and infill layers were then sealed by a layer of geotextile, prior to the deposition of substantial layers of gravel and hardcore. A layer of geotextile was also noted below the infill layer in Trench 1, which would suggest that the infill is of relatively recent date.
As a consequence of the thickness of deposits on site and the problems with ground-water, it was difficult to fully assess the archaeological potential of the site. However, the presence of a substantial peat layer appears to be indicative of the former existence of a lake on the site of the proposed development.
