2008:085 - The Fairgreen, Cavan, Cavan

Pre-development testing was carried out over four days between 16 December 2008 and 23 January 2009 at The Fairgreen in Cavan town. The testing was required to further assess the archaeological potential/significance of the site in advance of its development as a public amenity by Cavan Town Council. An initial field and desk study identified the area as containing a castle site (CA020–05504), although no surface trace was visible. A geophysical survey carried out by Target Archaeological Geophysics in September 2008 (licence number 08R264) found a number of anomalies worthy of further investigation amidst high levels of disturbance on the site. Unfortunately the geophysics only covered approximately one quarter of the site area due to steep slopes, refuse dumping and spoil heaps. The purpose of the testing was to investigate these anomalies and cover the remaining areas of the site not investigated by the geophysical survey.
The Fair Green is located on a prominent hilltop position overlooking Cavan town on its south-eastern outskirts. The site consists of two overgrown fields of pasture, comprising c. 1.5ha. The larger upper field to the east contains a waterworks constructed in the 1930s. A number of associated water mains criss-cross the field, with manholes visible in places. The upper field also contains a number of spoil heaps, possibly the result of the excavations for the laying of the water mains. The lower field is relatively flat and overgrown. It contains a number of spoil heaps at its southern end. There is a steep drop between the two fields of over 6m in places.
The testing consisted of the excavation (by machine) of seven trenches. The western and northern sides of the upper larger field and the western side of the lower smaller field were not suitable for testing due to very steep slopes. Trenches A–C were located in the upper larger field, to investigate anomalies recorded there during the geophysical survey. They measured 19.9m, 60.4m and 61m long, 0.9–1.3m wide and 0.3–0.9m deep. Trench G was located north of the waterworks and measured 19.8m long, 0.9–1.1m wide and 0.25–0.5m deep. Trenches D–F were located in the lower smaller field to the west, which was not subject to geophysical survey. They measured 21.3m, 70.1m and 60.4m long, 1–1.4m wide and 0.25–2.25m deep.
Trenches B and C in the larger upper field revealed evidence of modern disturbance caused by the water mains which criss-cross the site and three possible ditch features, filled with similar clays, found below the topsoil and redeposited subsoil and above natural subsoil. Nothing of archaeological significance was revealed in Trenches A and D–G. Trenches A and G in the upper larger field revealed evidence of modern disturbance in the form of topsoil above modern fill above natural subsoils. Trenches D, E and F in the smaller, lower field revealed evidence that the east side of the field had been reduced and the west side of the field filled up, in the second half of the 20th century, to produce a level ground surface. The stratigraphy here consisted of topsoil above fill and natural subsoil. Local information suggested a dwelling was located near the north-east corner of this field and was demolished in the 1970s, but no trace of its foundations were uncovered by the test-trenches.
The two possible ditch features in Trench B were filled with soft grey plastic clay with occasional flecks of charcoal and a number of animal bone fragments. The smaller of the two features measured 0.8–0.9m wide, 0.2m deep and was visible at 0.45–0.55m below the surface. The larger feature measured 1.1m wide, 0.3–0.4m deep and was uncovered 0.5–0.65m below the surface. A third possible ditch feature, in Trench C, at 0.3–0.35m below the surface, was filled with similar material and measured 1.3m wide. The recovery of clay-pipe fragments within the fill appeared to date this feature to the post-medieval or modern period. Post-excavation work is ongoing, with the intention of sending samples of the animal bone from the larger feature in Trench B for 14C dating.