County: Louth Site name: Faughart Lower
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A002/119; E3803
Author: Sinclair Turrell, Archaeological Development Services Ltd, Windsor House, 11 Fairview Strand, Fairview, Dublin 3.
Site type: Prehistoric
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 705547m, N 811315m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.040202, -6.388546
Site 119 was discovered during Phase 1 testing along the route of the A1/N1 Newry–Dundalk link road in Area 15, Chainage 13603–13750, and an area measuring 85m by 100m was subsequently opened up by mechanical excavator.
The site was situated on a steep, south-west-facing slope with a flat, alluvial area at its base, bounded by a small stream. A number of archaeological features, probably prehistoric in date and mainly consisting of stake-holes, post-holes and small pits, were scattered across the site, some forming distinct clusters. These included two groups of shallow pits, many with charcoal-rich fills containing flint, burnt bone and some prehistoric pottery, perhaps cooking pits. In addition, several alignments of stake-holes were investigated, one associated with further shallow pits and post-holes, perhaps also indicating domestic activity. A rectangular structure, around 6m by 4.5m, sited on a small mid-slope plateau, may possibly have been a house and cremated human bone was also found in at least one small pit. Modern activity in the form of plough furrows, drains and tree boles was also in evidence.
Editor’s note: This report arrived too late for inclusion in the bulletin for 2005, when the work took place.
